The Hurtful Promise
by GaleaAponeurotica
Summary: Shizuru and Aya are the best of friends since childhood. They pledge they would protect each other until one of them falters.
1. Chapter 1 - Mistrust

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 1 - Mistrust

It was remarkable as it is when the night fell in complete darkness and silence sounded like a whirling white noise, but Shizuru is having a difficult time to fall asleep. The windows were shut to prevent the cold air from entering her bedroom. The fleece blanket and the soft mattress underneath gave her all the comfort she needed. However, she knew that she didn't stress herself in her work today nor took any unnecessary medications to do so. Why it is so? Is it because there's something wrong that happened throughout the day?

It would seem so although not directly affecting her but for someone else. She knew it all along when she met Aya's then-boyfriend, Kenji, at that time. The sense of distorted aura surrounded him as electric shock waves emitted dangerously from his body. _There's something wrong with this guy,_ Shizuru told herself. Although she has the premonition that he met women on several occasions without being caught, Aya realistically caught him this time… red-handed.

Her phone vibrated quietly beneath her pillow as she slid it to answer. As soon as she placed the speaker part of the phone to her ear, she could hear her uncontrollable cries.

"You were right all along, Shizuru." Aya Matsui sobbed. "You were right about Kenji. I wish I had some psychic powers like yours."

"You don't need psychic powers. All you need to do is to read their personalities and intentions well." Shizuru said bluntly.

"But how to read…"

"Can we talk about this tomorrow, Aya? I'm sorry but I'm really tired. We could meet each other at Tropical café at nine in the morning." She interrupted reluctantly.

"Sure, why not. It's been a long night." Aya agreed.

As Shizuru ended their brief conversation, she couldn't help herself but felt pity about her best friend. It is ironic that these type of men love to be surrounded by beautiful women, which made it like a perfect accessory tool and made it even more attractive to other women than repulsive to them. Aya is prone to falling in love with bad men with the worst personalities that anyone can think of. Sure, they're equipped with all the good looks or even some good money to boost their pockets, but they never had a pure love that Aya was seeking.

Basically, that applies to her and every female creature on this planet. However, in this digital age of love, it is impossible to find one in the city, let alone in this country. It is unfortunate to say that in Japan, with a dwindling female population, it gave men a hard time finding the right partner. In addition to work pressure, women with grown independence are entering the workforce twice than twenty to thirty years ago. Women don't have the time to reproduce. Imagine this, looking for a right one is like having a chance of winning your luck in a lotto with a possibility of one to one millionth.

If anyone reasoned out that this is ridiculous, consider this a move by some men, who helplessly fall in love with holographic women.

Yes, digitalized women. Physically non-existent women who exhibit human qualities that made men fall even harder.

Shizuru laughed at herself whenever she encountered that bizarre news. What's even worst is that it is being celebrated and embraced by the opposite sex. What the hell are they thinking? A professional man married a virtual reality singer, said one headline of a top newspaper in the country. Some men are really sick in the head and mental rehabilitation is not enough. Perhaps, they're trying to redefine the words, cross-dimensional relationships.

If in case she does engage in such a relationship with "digital men", she would rather be dead. She also silently dismissed the idea that she could find one herself in one shot. _Not this time as I enjoy my career_, she thought selfishly. _I have no problems for now and I am happy with my situation. However, if ever I do find myself dating again, I prefer real and fleshy men._

Shizuru's hair was soft brown, like the bark of an oak tree, not dark but simply gentle in any light with dark brown tantalizing eyes. Her tomboyish attitude has a no-nonsense approach to life's challenges. Her hourglass body is enchanting and possessed long flawless legs. She's also a 30-year-old successful interior designer employed at one of the most sought after employers throughout Japan, Red Swallow and Associates. She designed every rich and celebrity clients with her most creative and ambitious projects. She was the top earner in her company and no wonder she doesn't have the time to mingle with someone else. She was so preoccupied with her career that money comes through with it and she was satisfied with her earning capability.

It is by the fact that it is the most rewarding move that she ever did to herself.

Just all by herself.

* * *

Shizuru stepped out from the subway and ran hurriedly to catch the bus that will take her to her favorite drinking spot, Tropical Café. Fortunately, she caught the bus right on time before it closed in from people behind her. She walked carefully in the middle, trying to find the right window seat. As she found one, she sat and grabbed her cellphone from her shoulder bag. _I'm on my way to the café_, she texted.

She has to make up the conversation with Aya, as the poor maiden was devastated when she caught Kenji being comfortable with another woman. What is worst is that they're engaged to marry. It was the most humiliating event that ever happened in Aya's life. Good thing that her father wasn't with her. Otherwise, he could have killed him on the spot. Such a reckless cheater running like a fox as if Aya doesn't have a clue or two about his sideline flings. However, it was a blessing in disguise that their supposed marriage was called off last minute and saved Aya from future heartaches and headaches to the doomed union from the start.

Aya Matsui is Shizuru's best friend since their preschool days. She possessed a black bob cut hair with bangs. Her skin is almost porcelain white and body is quite athletic since she's an occasional marathon runner. They were as close like sisters, which made sense since both of them came from an only girl in the family and looking for a sister. Although Aya doesn't have a sibling on her own while Shizuru has a younger brother name Kazuma. Their parents knew each other as they live a few blocks away from their small hometown. However, as they grew older and developed their own maturities, each of them made a promise to each other that they would look after one another as being more than just sisters… perhaps you may call it soul sisters.

Aya was already waiting at the table with a glass of cranberry juice at hand. She looked at the window trying to find Shizuru at the urban crowd. Finally, she heard someone tapping until she looked up and found the brown-haired lass.

"Shizuru!" Aya said with excitement.

Shizuru entered to the Tropical Café. It was small, for about seventy people in seating capacity and the atmosphere was very lively. It is simply painted with turquoise and white colors with nautical decorations around it. She opened the double doors, strutted towards to her spot and found a seat right across the table to her. She didn't even bother to order some drink from the café. She took off her denim jacket and hanged her shoulder bag in her chair.

"Aya, I'm sorry about what happened last night." Shizuru apologized.

"There's no need. I need that night off to clear my head." Aya explained. "Besides, you may not understand the whole conversation since my sobbing is so turbulent."

"So, how did you find out about it?"

"I followed Kenji to his usual meeting spot. I remembered that he told me he has to meet with his friends. Initially, it was a bachelor party but I knew he already had one, as I was informed by his friends."

"And?" Shizuru questioned her.

"Kenji went to this massage parlor to treat himself some relaxation. A woman, who is five years younger, approached him and started kissing passionately. It turned out that this female massage therapist is one of his mistresses." Aya revealed with a little hurt from her eyes. She realized that despite an awful discovery, she's not fully recovered from him.

"One of his mistresses? My golly! How many women did he sweep with his poisonous charm?" Shizuru asked in disgust.

"I honestly don't know…" Aya discontinued her sentence.

Shizuru reached out her hand to hold hers as a sign of comfort. In this terrible time, women needed to be together and emotionally support each other. Perhaps masculinity has taken so far and wide in this crazy society where men can have many mistresses as they want, regardless they will be caught or not. Sure, it's normal, said the society with a little male egomaniac mentality. However, if a woman is caught having an affair with a man, it is considered as the greatest disgrace.

Shizuru wanted to reach her cigarette from her bag but couldn't do it. It is prohibited to smoke inside the café, as she needs more time to console her.

However, it boiled her blood upon finding out what Kenji is skillful of.

Ever since Shizuru met Kenji for the first time, she knew that he was such a manipulative and deceitful man. She knew, from the start of their relationship, that he loved to toy Aya's feelings and her blindly love. This man constantly displaced the blame onto others when he is clearly the person at fault. He performed the most impressive mental acrobatics in order to make it seem as if others are the cause of his terrible behavior. You could 'nail his foot to the floor', developed ironclad guidelines, and you could show objective evidence that he is at fault. But he would always found a way to displace blame. In fact, this is his most reliable trait—his ability to always blame others for his bad behavior.

However, no matter what Shizuru did, Aya is psychologically dysfunctional until she extended her with some of her psychic powers, in order to wake her up to reality.

Shizuru never admitted to Aya about her metaphysical abilities. When she was a child, she had a dream that an old woman was carrying old pottery full of glistening water above her head. Later on, as she passed by and saw Shizuru crying in pain, this old woman put her pot down to the ground, dipped her hand and blessed her forehead and wiped her eyes with it. As soon as she woke up from that dream, she felt something that left her in transcendence. From that night onwards, she was never the same person. Whatever she encountered, touched or at least looked into someone, she would automatically know what a kind of person she or he was…not to mention some an occasional glimpse of the person's past.

"Shizuru, about last night. You told me that it is all about reading peoples' personalities and their intentions? How do you do that?" Aya asked with curiosity.

"I looked at their faces, specifically their eyes. Eyes are the gateway to a person's soul. If they say something that you thought that is meaningful, think again. Most of the time, if they said it the second time, it is perpetually senseless." Shizuru advised her.

"Huh? What does that mean?"

"It goes with experience, Aya. I met a lot of men in my life and they will court you with the loveliest words, gestures, shower with the most expensive gifts and drive you to the fanciest places, but they are all too shallow to see. True intentions are not there. Men are physically here but their thoughts are somewhere else. I am talking about the instincts that we have."

"I dated a lot of men, too, Aya." Shizuru continued, "They bore me to death, especially with the words that you will hear over and over again as if they are reading Shakespeare. I don't like that and pretty much I can spot a fake from miles away."

"What about Kenji? What did you find about him?" Aya murmured.

"He's too charming. Let me rephrase that, he's too dangerously charming; especially that he tangled you with his web of lies. I tried the very best that I can warn you about him, even before the events took place."

"Like what events you're talking?"

"Remember the time when you are insecure about your posture? Kenji asked you to straighten up and constantly chuckles you whenever you correct it. Any true man will never make fun of you. Instead, Kenji's fake love is heartless. Another incident is that when you made a mistake of mixing with his tea of sugar and milk, he raged, made a quick judgment and punished you without hearing your apology and explanations."

"But isn't that Kenji made some apologies to me, too." Aya defended.

"He was but committed those same mistakes as if he never learned…and never will."

Aya felt embarrassed with the whole scenario, as she doesn't want to continue the conversation. She felt stupid and helpless on how her trusted best friend for so many years, who tried to warn her, neglected her advice on not to continue her relationship with Kenji.

"I would like to apologize that I mistrusted you," Aya whispered.

Shizuru leaned closer to her so that no other people can hear their heart to heart talk. "I forgive you, bestie." She quipped.

"I try to be careful for now on." Aya promised, "but right now, I'm not actively looking for one. I just want to enjoy my new found personal freedom."

"That's the spirit! That's the Aya I know." Shizuru celebrated.

* * *

Shizuru opened the door and took off her shoes. She went home and felt free at last, freedom from overthinking about Aya's safety. _At least, she's out of trouble, for now,_ she thought to herself. She closed and locked the door behind her as she prepared to take meditation. She doesn't want to eat dinner as of this time since she's too lazy to cook. Who needs to cook anyway if she has the microwave just to feed for herself?

She went straight to her bedroom and changed her clothes. Something cotton and comfortable, she contemplated, as she chose a shirt and shorts and grabbed the rolled rubber mat and spread it out throughout the floor. She prepared the space with dimmed lights, switched her cellphone to airplane mode and sat with her legs crossed. She mentally asked the intention of her meditation, Will Aya be safe for the longest time?

Stillness overcame her as Shizuru began to receive distractions coming from her own mind. She needed to eliminate them. She discerned all senseless thoughts and segregated what is important to her. Her breathing was getting deeper and deeper until she found a focal point. These are the messages that Shizuru received from her meditation.

_Watch over her for the longest time._

Why?

_There's more to come and more dangerous._

Why her?

_Not just her._

What do you mean?

_Remain alert at all times._

I can handle myself.

_It needs more._

I have powers coming from you.

_There's one that is stronger than yours._

Who is this one that you're talking about?

From some reason, the meditating messages stopped as she opened her eyes slowly. Her thoughts are getting more eccentric by each and every passing day. _I must have asked a wrong question_, Shizuru wondered. _My intentions are all for Aya with the highest possible good_. Instead, she collected with an overload of warning information.

"Don't tell me that Aya could hurt herself one more time with Kenji," Shizuru whispered in small but dead space in the air.

For a brief moment, she experienced goosebumps as a spiritual guide answered her pending question.

_ It was more than just Kenji…a dangerous one._

"What?" She shouted.

However, there's no reply this time.

Shizuru has to keep her mind about the dark side of meditation. She was well aware that absorbing repressed emotional traumas that can be resurfaced she may not be ready for. It can also destabilize her. Perhaps, she came across a psychology article, the dark knight project. It highlighted the research in a well-known university, about a certain rehabilitation center for those who suffered traumatic meditation experiences. Many of these people come to an established doctor as a last resort after unsuccessfully seeking out help from therapists and meditation teachers.

So what happened to these folks?

Many of them described hellish experiences, often during meditation retreats, where they were assailed by negative emotions, thoughts, and powerful compulsions. In different ways, they were caught off guard by the inner forces unleashed through meditation.

For example, it described experiences with patients where meditation was a catalyst for things like breakups, psychotic breaks, and an inability to focus at work. Other stories chronicle otherwise well-adjusted young people losing all their drive, focus, and ambition as a result of deep meditation experiences.

Could it be that her spiritual guide was not her usual guide? Hmmm, that would be impossible since the highest possible good gave her a stern warning about the events that are about to happen and Aya was not the only person involved. Could it be that there will be another spiritual challenge that awaits her? It is possible since life was all about physical, mental, spiritual and emotional challenges in order for us to evolve and transform into a wise person. Could it be that this person, whom the spiritual guide was referring to, came from the underworld to terrorize the physical world of beings? It would seem so since she was drawn to the spirit world before, thanks to her younger brother, Kazuma Kuwabara. If this can occur again, she wouldn't be surprised about it.

"I am ready." Shizuru declared.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2 - Celebration of None

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 2 – Celebration of None

Nightfall came quickly when it is Friday and workers were at the rush to travel to the nearest and the most popular bars, theaters, music lounges, and restaurants. Unloading the work stress for the week is necessarily compared to a person drinking eight glasses of water every day. It is refreshing and it is a preparation for weekend rest. Nobody in their right mind would skip a Friday night for singles, as this is the only way to gather friends. Even people with families needed to get away once in a while from all the stress at work and at home. As Shizuru and Aya spotted a karaoke bar named, The Song Library, just a short distance away from the subway station, they looked at each other as if they already decided what to do.

Both women hurriedly lined up outside the entrance as the booking lady is counting heads on how many people they can accommodate for the night. Shizuru hoped that they would make it as she heard people from the front that customers who booked online were the priority. Minutes later, some crowd showed up as they skip the queue.

"We should have booked online in advance. At least, we will get the nicest singing booth by ourselves." Aya regretted.

An hour has passed and customers were already grumbling when to get in. Aya checked the time and it was past nine.

"I think it's too early," Aya commented.

"It is but we don't want to waste our time lining up for nothing," Shizuru grunted.

The line proceeded faster as more people were standing impatiently behind them. The lady went outside, checked the crowd and announced that they will no longer accommodate customers. People protested but couldn't do anything much since they didn't pay anything. It was also announced that the first twenty hungry amateur singers would be able to get in. Fortunately, Shizuru and Aya were included in that number. Both women were ecstatic to enter the music lounge as they were given an opportunity to select which room they like. They both choose the lavender booth.

Another lady came in and showed them the way of their choice. They navigated narrow hallways, dimmed recessing lights and dark neon-painted walls as Shizuru wondered if they could squish themselves. She saw a piece of paper that this building was inspected by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency and successfully complied all of its standards. It also indicated that this building could only house one hundred twenty people in total capacity including staff.

A female staff checked both ladies in a room with her handheld device. Both ladies were assigned according to the number of the group and a tab was given to them indicating their session's starting and ending times. The lavender booth was painted with dark and sparkling purple shade has a flat screen TV that is synchronized in a wireless microphone, a song catalog, and a surround polysynthetic couch with a small center table. It was also included a list of finger foods and cocktails they wish to order. Not to mention a disco ball hanging in the center of the ceiling revolving slowly at its pace.

Aya wasted no time as she grabbed the microphone and quickly opened the catalog to scan the coded song that she badly wanted to sing. Shizuru plopped into the couch and immediately ordered food and drinks for nourishment.

In a few minutes, Aya sang with all her heart out with the song, "Can't live without you." She held the microphone so tightly that Shizuru was in awe with the notion if ever she will ever have a chance to sing with it. She just shook her head as she was thinking Aya is not ready to get over with Kenji. When the speaker sounds blasted at Shizuru's ears, she felt like she would need to get immediate medical help. Ears exploded like a nuclear bomb and lost her auditory senses in one blow. She instantly reached for both of her ears, thinking that it is still attached to her head.

_I can't live__  
__If living is without you__  
__I can't live__  
__I can't give anymore__  
__I can't live__  
__If living is without you__  
__I can't give__  
__I can't give anymore_

"At some point in my life, I will fall in love, but not that way." Shizuru declared.

"You will fall hard once you met a man of your dreams," Aya predicted.

"Not me…. not me!" Shizuru said, waving her index finger from side to side.

"Oh yes, you will!" She said with a strong emphasis.

Shizuru saw a door opened halfway; a woman with a tray in her hands carefully entered their room and politely placed it in the table. She silently left and closed the door. The food tray was consisting of some small tacos, burgers, fries, fried pot stickers and a couple of iced teas.

"Iced teas!" Aya exclaimed in disappointment. "I don't want iced tea!"

"You never mentioned it to me when we entered the room. Besides, your typical drink is iced tea." Shizuru said defending her choice.

"I'm in the mood for whiskey!" Aya boldly revealed.

"Whiskey? Since when did you start drinking whiskey?"

"Tonight! This is a special night for me."

Shizuru reached out to the food and drinks menu one more time to see if this music lounge offers alcoholic drinks. She made sure that did not miss every categorized drink itemized on the menu.

"Well, there are classic cocktails available. Let me mention it to you. There's a ginger gold rush, New York Sour, Sazerac, Hemingway Daiquiri, Paloma, Pink Lady, Alaska, El Diablo, and Highball."

"What's in a Sazerac? Sounds like a weird word to me." Aya asked.

"The ingredients were Rye, Demerara, Peychaud's Bitters and Absinthe," Shizuru answered.

"I'm not familiar with those but what about the Highball?"

"It says Suntory Toki Japanese Whiskey, Club Soda and Angostura Bitters."

"That's my type of drink. Order it right away." Aya said in an instant.

"Right away! Highball coming up."

Shizuru followed up an additional order with one glass of Highball for her best friend. Aya finished her singing session as she passed the microphone to her. In a few minutes, a woman entered again in their room with a glass in her tray. Aya took it swiftly and gulped it fast. She coughed a few times as she felt the burning sensation in her throat coming from the whiskey. She quivered and drank one more time carefully.

She saw the corner of her eye on how Aya was so brave enough to drink a cocktail that she never had in her entire life. She didn't know if whiskey is indeed the choice of drinks for the broken hearts. Shizuru let it slipped away as she reached for a fries to munch. She sang the song, "I'm every woman" as she danced the night away in a solo mode.

As if Aya didn't exist that she was there.

* * *

Aya's weight is too much to bear when their singing session ended. Shizuru paid everything that is listed in their tab as she stopped her from ordering the Highball drinks. She only thought that she will order just once but it turned out that she demanded to order four additional favorite cocktail. Shizuru has to carry her out from the music lounge as she asked for assistance if there's a cab nearby. A receptionist nodded her head and immediately called for it.

"I'll never take you out after a breakup again," Shizuru promised her.

"A great time! We have a great time!" the drunken lass proudly said while she raised her arm in the air, pretending she has a glass.

Shizuru was so embarrassed as some intoxicated men passed by and made a gesture of inviting them over to have an additional drinking session with them. She turned them down, as Aya is not mentally fit to make decisions. In other words, Shizuru became an overnight decision maker.

A black colored cab arrived on time as the driver automatically opened the door for them. Shizuru's body felt like she was stocked with gym weights around her body and she tried to figure out how to get Aya in. The driver, as if he read her mind, went out and unlatched the other door in the passenger seat. He gestured that he will carry Aya's upper body while she will carry her lower body.

She agreed with the plan as they achieved the task the fastest and easiest time possible. Aya, still drunk, was mumbling with words that are incomprehensible to understand. She's too weak to get up and Shizuru requested the driver to take them home. He agreed nonetheless.

As he drove through the city, Shizuru had a bad experience for the first time while having a great time. She witnessed a lot of people, coming out from the bars in every street corner, drunk, violent and sometimes almost dead. She reflected if this is the city's norm of wasting their lives out of nothing. Sure, work and pleasure are the most important factors on why humans exist in contrast but moderation is the key. There's nothing wrong working for a job since it was all needed to pay for life's material necessities. There's also nothing wrong with pleasure, too. Having an occasional pleasure of drinking, smoking, eating and talking are human basic needs.

However, does she consider them essentials?

Being overworked is an extreme form of self-torture while overindulgence was in an extreme form of addiction. Most human beings are riddled with guilt and beaten themselves too much of it. They would torture to work without knowing that they really are. Death by overwork and death by overindulgence are becoming a norm, regardless of gender.

The cab stopped in front of their apartment with the car's headlights brightened the entryway. Shizuru paid and thanked the driver for their safe travel. He offered her to help her drunken friend as she immediately agreed. There is no way she could lift her up again and navigate the steps to enter the building.

"Why is your friend doing this?" the driver asked curiously.

"She broke up with her fiancé. Our intention is to have fun singing in a karaoke bar, but I didn't expect to end up like this." Shizuru said directly.

"I don't understand ladies these days. In the old days, women just gather in one house just to cook meals among themselves and talk."

"I agreed with you, sir. My mom would tell me that when she was a teenager, she would just go to the movies with her friends and talk about it later on."

"I don't like the direction that our country is involving. Things were getting complicated, the world is getting smaller and information is so accessible. Whether that information on the web is true or not, we can get it in a split second." The man said analytically.

"True. Complicated things are the way of the world."

"Listen, take good care of your friend. She's too young to encounter bad things in life. Men are part of a small portion of her life. As a matter of fact, she might consider dating outside of our country to look for a life partner, if that was still her plan." He advised.

Shizuru accidentally blushed herself as he placed her carefully near the door. At this point, he hurriedly went to his cab and answered a call about a customer nearby waiting for a cab. He adjusted his global positioning system and he gladly said he would take this person to another destination. He waved goodbye and drove away in the silent streets.

_Maybe he's right. Aya needs to find someone outside of this country_, she pondered.

Aya slightly made a proper sense of herself as she clarified her surroundings. "Are we home?"

"Yes, we're home." She responded to her question. She took the home keys from her bag, carefully chose one of them and inserted in the lock.

Shizuru cracked the door and climbed slowly with her half-awaken close friend. Lights shined above their heads with every area of their home with clear visibility. A home is a place that no chaos should enter for these two women, who were exhausted at their unexpected ordeal.

"I partially heard what he said," Aya mentioned.

"Oh, about what?" Shizuru tested her.

"About finding the right man outside of this country."

"I think it's the right move…once you recovered from Kenji." Shizuru suggested.

"Oh, let me borrow your meditation powers!" Aya said sarcastically.

"What?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes, you heard me right. Your meditation powers."

"Don't you dare do this," Shizuru warned.

"You are so highly opinionated about my life, my past boyfriends and getting things done the right way. You recklessly said 'whatever happened to you doesn't happen to me…"

"I didn't say that. I said, at some point in my life, I will fall in love, but not that way."

"But did you realized it?"

"I don't understand…."

Aya cut off her sentence, stood up all of the sudden and looked for her bag. She searched for her mobile phone and tapped the app to open. She extended her arm to Shizuru's face; close enough to see the dating app called, 'MeetUp'. It is a dating mobile application to which she has a personal account registered to meet up potential future partners. It also showed some basic information about some men that she liked with some similarities with their hobbies, family background, and interests.

"Let's see if your meditation powers can read these men."

"Don't do this to me!" Shizuru complained.

"Look Miss Saint so perfect! You may engage a lot of relationships but never had a serious boyfriend for the first thirty years of your life. I had three and surely I made mistakes to learn. It just that I have to grasp it the hard way."

"What about you?" Aya continued, "What do you think about your love life? A dirty old fly roaming around your head!"

"Stop it!" Shizuru commanded. "This is not the type of night that we want to end."

Two women debated each other like two territorial cats, which wanted to scratch with their long-clawed nails and bite each other with their sharp teeth. None of them expected to get into a heated argument about how men should be chosen. There are no clear books of rules on how it is so. Why waste this past midnight about two screaming females over a minor and senseless topic?

"I meditate because I am stress about everything. I don't normally show it but it is eating inside of me." Shizuru said after a long silence.

"I don't 'see' men inside. I just follow my gut feelings about them if that's what you want to label it." She added.

"Maybe you're right. I don't see men the right way." Aya countered.

"I was too absorbed about making money and affording me everything that I want. I traveled alone, ate in a restaurant alone, commuted alone and seen the movies alone. As you can see, the common denominator is being in solitary. I find comfort in being one's own. Obviously being a solo female is not for everybody let alone acceptable in our society. You know men think like they were in medieval times."

"I said this before, maybe I can read well with people's faces. Sometimes, their objectives reveal themselves as you get to know them along the way. It's not a sure prediction since I can be wrong, too." Shizuru ended.

Aya left her phone with the application open as she left the main room. All she could hear was a loud slam coming from her bedroom door.

Shizuru stared down at the mobile phone with the list of men that Aya was interested in. She sat down quietly, viewed them and carefully swiped the list one by one.

_ This man is married and searching for a mistress._

_ This man is looking for successful women with money._

_ This man is hunting for a man._

"Oh, heck! Why would I bother myself with this thing." She interrupted.

Shizuru took Aya's phone and shut it down to save its power. She switched off the lights in the main room and walked into her bedroom as silently as possible. _What am I thinking? Why would I follow her commands if I distinctly knew it was wrong? Why would she challenge me into something silly?_

_ It was because you cared for her so much._

She dismissed the idea.

_ It was also the start of your agony._

She tried to shut her mind against the annoying and redundant pieces of advice.

_ You will still hear me._

She turned away, looking for some nightly activity to distract herself.

_ You will still hear me._

Shizuru grabbed her laptop and began to operate it without any particular reason why.

_ You will still hear me, no matter what you do._

"Stop it!" She whispered. "I had enough."

It halted upon her order.

Shizuru tossed around and side-by-side in her bed because she couldn't sleep this time, but she doesn't have to worry since it is Saturday. The clock read 2:30 am. She buried her head with her pillow, tucked the blanket over her head and prayed that her eyes would close permanently for the night.

_I need to sleep. I need this sleep for next week's workload._

Not again! The dreaded word 'work' stuck into her head, mind and soul. Work seemed to be like her new best friend. Karoshi is a term that was invented in the late sixties, which can be translated literally as "overworked death" in Japanese. The major medical causes of occupational sudden mortality are stroke and starvation diet. It is a phenomenon that is widespread in some countries as well. It has also a negative impact on the family, which leads to depression, isolation and worse, neglect.

_I need a work-life balance. I don't want to kill myself. This is too much for me to bear. I don't want to be in the next headline, 'Woman found dead in an apartment by overactive thoughts.' _

However, she needs to straighten out her friendship with Aya first.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3 - The Unthreatening Stranger

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 3 – The Unthreatening Stranger

"What time was it?"

"9:30 p.m."

"What am I still doing here?"

Shizuru never bothered looking at the time on her mobile phone since she doesn't have any clue if the day is night and night is a day for her. Losing time is the least of the qualities that you can expect from her. She stared at her desk with piles of rolled drawing papers, planning rooms, different color shadings and cut out pictures from different classifications from the magazines. She used it as her inspiration to create interior designs in varying tones and home styles for her clients.

The phone rang last minute before she vacates and Shizuru was hesitating to answer it. _I'm at my desk all day and this happened_, she pondered angrily but responded nonetheless. She picked it up and placed it in her ear. She let it hang between her tilted head and shoulder as she was preparing to gather her belongings.

"Shizuru speaking."

"Shizuru, I have a special assignment for you." Akane, her supervisor revealed.

"What about it?"

"There's a very important client that I want you to take and I sincerely believe that you can finish this project in a short time. He's a billionaire looking for an interior designer. He recently bought an apartment in a very expensive district in Tokyo. Minato ward to be exact."

Her eyes widened a little bit of surprise when she heard about that district. It was recorded and hailed in design magazines as "the billionaires' city". It has also built the reputation as the most demanding clients in everything at whatever they wish for. What matters is that they will get it as is. As of her current knowledge, one of ten residents were CEOs with a total population of 250,000.

"Did he give any specifications like the colors of his choice, inspiration or anything?"

"That's the challenge. He briefly said just black, pewter and gold. Minimalism and midcentury modern."

Shizuru closed her eyes and cursed herself for answering a call only to be situated as a last minute worker who was hoping that she would say yes to this client-seems-to-be-hard-to-please. She considered long and hard about it and adjusted her voice to finally give her decision.

"Can I call you back maybe tomorrow morning? I really can't think right now. Perhaps by tomorrow, you will have my response."

"Okay, I will wait for it but not too long. We don't want to lose him as I've said earlier, he's a very important client."

"Just because he has the money," Shizuru said straight to the point.

"Not just that money but the influence he had in the society as well." She informed.

"Whatever. A client is a client to me. I treated them all the same."

"Very well. We're counting on you."

Shizuru placed the phone down and shook her head in dismay. Some nerve her supervisor had on the discussion that just ended. _Not just that money but the influence he had in the society as well. What does he do for a living? Making him rich by others' expense? What about us? Permanently crawling to the ground scraping for whatever's left from them?_

It's about time to leave with her desk unkempt. She grabbed her bag, strolled away and turned off the lights before she closes the office doors_. I think I'm getting worst now that I am leaving later than usual. What is even worse is that it is only Monday. _She took the elevator and entered into an empty space. She heard the muffled bass sound blasting from the outside, making the building vibrate from its steady foundation.

_Is there an earthquake?_

As soon as she stepped outside the building, there's a huge crowd gathering right in front of her.

It was a street techno party with a little riot going on.

_ Great! This is just what I need_. Shizuru thought sarcastically.

She mindfully directed the route while barely managing a group of people throwing raucously among themselves. As the beat was getting louder, faster and heavier, people tend to bang their heads, swayed in whirlwind fashion and uncaring whomever they would bump into.

It was unfortunate to say that this planned street techno party made Shizuru unaware and got caught off guard. Annoyance is an understatement when this kind of idiotic gathering is comparable to avoiding the wrath of a spider in its web. Everywhere you go seemed to be placed strategically either with a booby trap or a vicious spider ready to encase its prey.

Shizuru set herself aside from one corner thinking where is the next best possible and shortest way to get her to the central subway station. Everywhere she went are all either closed paths or rerouted to other directions. She tried to jump just to see to where and how far did she go from her starting point.

_This is getting ridiculous! Where am I supposed to get out?_

She doesn't have a plan and she needed to leave a trail.

Shizuru texted Aya in a desperate move but it's the safest way to know her whereabouts.

_ Street techno party here tonight. I'll be home late. Main Street is closed and so are the other roads._

_ Be safe! I didn't know that there's a techno party in the Main Street. How come this kind of party is unannounced? _Aya texted her in return.

_ I don't know either but it's too late for that._

_ Can you take a cab?_

_ It's worst to take a cab. Where will the driver pick me from here?_

_ Find somewhere open._

_ I don't think I could find an open space. It's pretty much the same. I'm walking right now to find the Central Station…_

Shizuru's mobile phone battery went dead.

_ Stupid me! I should have recharged it before I left work._

As she scanned all over at her surroundings, something caught her attention.

She was thinking about an unnoticeable small, dark and narrow street from the corner of the main road. Based on her instincts, it might give her a slim chance to avoid a crowd and get her there to the subway station. However, this is not her usual path to go home. Nevertheless, she will take chances and knew her own capabilities. Needless to say, this is her first time using that street with unfamiliar and limited navigation orientation.

For a lone female, it was a gamble that she needs to take.

She bravely went for that street in hopes that she would be home in no time.

* * *

Three men were standing in one corner searching for excitement when they overheard loud techno music on the other side of the neighborhood. People were enjoying the wild bash until the wee hours. However, the alleyways were sparingly lighted with electric lampposts low visibility and few gangs hanging out as it was dangerously infested with petty crimes and frequent assaults.

"We need to find some entertainment." A man with a red bandana said.

One of the gang, a leader with a facial tattoo, was bored and considered finding their own interpretation of relaxation. All they need was a nightly stimulation to boost their enthusiasm.

"We are short of cash, too. Perhaps we could find someone who is loaded with money."

"What about some fun? Like a hot cat ready to pounce if you know what I mean." The guy with a beard said in a drunken voice.

It's about time to find a victim.

Lo and behold as if their wish was immediately answered.

All of them suddenly spotted a poor damsel, pretending hard to be street smart. They all could tell that this woman was not from this neighborhood, judging the way she was dressed and her demeanor. It meant that this poor lady was lost and was trying to find her way out of here like an ant traveling through the tunnels of an endless maze.

She was all alone.

"Gentlemen, maybe this lass needed some company to play along. She looked like she's too hot to handle but we are skilled with this." The leader said maliciously, as he gave them a signal that she will be the target of their dirty deed.

* * *

Shizuru was highly alert but poorly oriented to this dark like charcoal night alleyway. From the apartments come noises, not so much as in the daytime but all the subtle sounds for the absence of light and the quieter traffic. All she could hear is either her breathing or her footsteps coming from her shoe heels. Her trusty gut couldn't get any better because it was too silent to hear.

For the first time in her life, she found herself alone in fear. A huddled heap of plastic garbage bags and hungry dogs devouring its leftover food, Shizuru passed hurriedly with her nose pinched with her two fingers. _The smell was awful and terrible_, she thought as she realized she was getting deeper and deeper into the heart of the impoverished district.

She stood alone and utterly terrified in the darkness as she tried to fight not to show it in her face. The dark consumed her with great distress as it was just her, alone in a strange place with strange people.

Strange people?

Shizuru noticed that three strangers were slowly following her from the smoky distance. The man with prominent black markings in his face, a drunken man, a guy with a bandana holding what seemed to be a penknife, ready for a kill.

"Missy, we want you to entertain us."

"We are so lonely tonight and you're perfect."

"Make us happy with your body. We're hungry for sex." They said mockingly, making it loud enough to hear their cruel intentions. One of them made an obscene gesture by simulating groping his crotch.

Shizuru fought her fear and made a mad dash away from these menacing men. It's a good thing that this sudden adrenaline rush fueled her running speed as she was breathing heavily, searching for an escape. It appeared to be like a fawn bolted out from the grassy ground from these hungry wolves. It's a fight for survival.

She spotted an unexplored space as she has the little hunch it was a gateway to the Main Street. However, when she got closer, what came across an idea of escape is the dead end. She has no time to go back and retrace her footsteps as her eyes frantically explored in all directions of her surroundings.

Speaking of footsteps, she could hear theirs as they were getting closer and closer.

"Hurry! This way!"

Suddenly, a man pulled her arm and realized that she was running away with him. He led her with all the twists and turns of the alleyways, both beaten and unbeaten, illuminated and darken paths like a labyrinth. _Where are you taking me_? She contemplated with this unidentified savior. As they were about to turn within a few blocks away from the main road, Shizuru felt her shoulder was about to pop and broke off his tight hold.

The man turned to her and huskily said, "Come on!"

He grabbed her arm one more time, as she knew they were not safe yet. She silently went along with him without any complaints.

The problem is that Shizuru could tell he was a man based on his silhouette but couldn't tell what does he looked like. _Who are you? Why are you here? How did you find me? _ These are the type of questions that she was eager to ask once she has the opportunity to do so.

They both saw the main street and were a few feet away from them, as she realized she was safe at last. Her heart was beating incessantly from the entire running and the distance that they covered. Finally, this is a perfect time and they both could see the sights and hear the sounds of restaurants, bars, cars and the crowd. She was breathing heavily as she needs to lean on one side of the building to rest.

Once she caught up with her breathing, Shizuru finally stood up and faced him. However, she was taken aback and gasped with what she saw of him.

He was extremely handsome who appears to be early to mid-thirties of his age. His height was approximately six feet tall, a commanding straight posture with a well-built body and possessed a long jet-black straight hair extending below his shoulders. His eyes were deep blue and have a hypnotic gaze of concern and relief. She also noticed a scar started from his hairline down to the angle of his jawline at the right side of his face. He was wearing a black leather jacket with a navy V-neck shirt inside. He wore dark washed jeans and black leather shoes.

"How did you find me?" She finally asked him.

"I saw you entering that dark narrow corner. I followed you and recognized that some people are trying to hurt you." He said briefly.

"How can I ever thank you?" Shizuru questioned her savior.

"Don't ever try that route again especially for a woman like you." He advised her.

Shizuru tried to be strong but so physically shambling on her knees and mentally weak upon seeing her rescuer how beautiful he was. It was an unforgettable moment in the right place and the right time. He dug his hand into his pocket and glanced at his phone. It read at 11:30 p.m. He turned around and started to walk away. She clearly understood that it was a long night and both were exhausted.

"By the way, what is your name?" She queried.

He turned to her one more time before traveling to his own destination.

"Sakyo." He uttered as he disclosed his identity.

* * *

Shizuru arrived at home and noticed that the psychic energy she had was rejuvenated. Her tardiness vanished and she detected a highly positive vibrancy happened after that incident. She was so relieved that everything went well despite the impending danger that she went through. It was a decision that she was about to regret it but thanks to Sakyo, it was averted.

"Pssst! It's twelve thirty in the morning and it's on Tuesday." Aya reminded.

"I don't think I could work tomorrow. I'm drained and dead." She lied.

"How come you're not calling me or texting me?"

"My phone ran out of power. I should have charged it at work or at least brought my portable power bank."

A resurgence of energy flowed into her as if she was fully alive with vigor. She wanted to excuse herself in the bedroom, urging to meditate right away. She didn't even notice Aya, who was staring at her as if she's seen a ghost. _What is going on with my psychic energy? I never felt like this in one night. Could it be that Sakyo has a high positive energy?_ Shizuru wondered endlessly.

Her world became more uncertain as she turned her advice to her spiritual guide. This doesn't happen before. Such eagerness to meditate right away is something new and unusual. Shizuru led a normal life just like everybody else such as finishing her chores, has work responsibilities and even has social activities. Meditation is her last to do list and whatever she sense in practical moments, but not tonight after she met Sakyo. Could it be he is a psychic, too?

When two psychics come together it is either they would exchange the energy flow to compliment each other or one would become a vampire to drain. She recalled the incident that it could be his intention of saving her is the driving force of high psychic energy. Imagine this, of all those hundreds and hundreds of people in that particular street, Sakyo was the only one who was able to notice her with an innate ability to sense the danger. Shizuru admitted that she was weak to perceived at hand but she knew she could explore and strengthen that area. Tardiness may be an excuse on why she couldn't see in the first place. Again, thanks to him, it opened her eyes and mind about the spiritual level that she's into and gave her the option to further improve her inner skills.

Shizuru laid down flat in her bed and stared at the blank ceiling. She began to tune in her spiritual abilities. She was aware that the central focus of her meditation is "Who is Sakyo?" Her curiosity didn't stop her from using her good intentions of knowing this mysterious man.

Her spiritual guide sent her the following indistinct messages.

_He is the shining one,_

_The one will show you the way._

_Of both obvious and hidden truths,_

_Between his and your worlds._

_Come to him and forge your powers,_

_For you will defeat the challenges._

_Stay with him as much as time will allow,_

_For time is not on his side._

The last phrase made Shizuru cut the meditation short and wondered what it meant, "For time is not on his side." Could it be the attraction on him is just short lived? It made a little sense since he introduced himself just by his name and walked away, not even engaging in small talk, but how could it be?

She got up and sat at the edge of her bed. She's more confused than ever as she reached for her pen and pad at the side table. She wrote all the messages coming from her memory and studied the last phrase obsessively. She analyzed carefully with profound interest and wrote multiple possible interpretations.

_For time is not on his side._

_A.)__Fleeting event_

_B.)__Change of course_

_C.)__Less chance of success_

_D.)__Has to do something very soon_

_E.)_

She left the last letter blank as the likelihood of feasible explanation of this cryptic expression made her cerebral engine stopped at its progress. Somehow, twisting everything back at her created more chaos and putting the clues together is tougher than she imagines. What is worst is that she fabricated more questions than ever. She began to scrutinize whether her spiritual guide was preparing a path of a series of intellectual quizzes on her.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4 - Blood Moon I

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 4 – Blood Moon I

Men have called me mad;

But the question is not yet settled,

Whether madness is or is not

The loftiest of intelligence.

-Edgar Allan Poe-

As the sun faded into the sunset, the moon took its place as the darkness began to cloth the whole city. It is the same darkness that robbed people with their best senses and replaced it with paralyzing fear. This city is subdued with loud noises, sparkling lights and bombarded with visual stimulation of idle advertisements. This person abhorred with this dynamic life and needed to impart some zeal of terror.

The underworld is a strange substance, like ice, it has three states of solid, liquid and gas, but with a twist. It doesn't fall under the laws of science since it is the mystical place. In solid form, it is almost completely black aside from the darker shades of crimson in the ground, like burning hot coals, when touched it felt like a thousand newly sharp knives ready to cut any thickness of flesh. As a liquid, it is misty, bubbly, and has a pungent sulfur scent, ready to be burned and burn again. As a gas, its quite peculiar as it was able to pass through any solid material with ease, suffocate and consume away like acids. As a whole, an underworld is an odd place.

This person traveled to the spiritual tunnel that led him from the physical world to the underworld at his leisure, with the powers of the double-headed snake wrapped around his entire body. The absorption of potentiality is simply addictive with numerous human beings were captivated as being spiritually weak and he required those energies to feed his powers. What a wonderful world he is living! The feasting of human vices was beyond words to describe how it empowers the underworld. Negative entities prowl this earth endlessly in search of poorly defensive souls in order to experience the malevolent rush.

A mortal made an agreement with the damned on how he would use his plans in order to fulfill the empty wailing cells. It was measured as three square feet of space and multiple rows of vacant spaces. However, he was required to fulfill only three but important souls. It is his vile obligation to provide the necessary conditions in order to satisfy him. The damned designed the wailing cells as part of his collection of "choir of condemnation".

The damned handed him the rolled darken parchment sealed with the ruby red melted wax. The mortal broke off the seal and unfurl it in a straighten manner. It was written in a language that no ordinary human beings could understand it even if they are gifted with psychic powers. The double-headed snake peeked behind from his shoulder and began to read for him.

_This body and soul of yours,_

_Are created to gratify._

_The snakes of deceit,_

_Its fangs of lies,_

_Its false security,_

_Of nonetheless of the damned._

_Deliver our tasks,_

_With careful orders,_

_Bounded no more,_

_You shall break free._

The creature ended his decree and the mortal agreed with the terms. The damned handed him a strange pen. It was a black feather pen with human blood kept in the ink bottle. He picked it up, dipped the tip in the bottle and signed with his given name without hesitation.

The Unspeakable Impaler

* * *

Fumiko Kaya placed her hand on the scanner as the clock read 9:30 p.m. She was officially out from her first job and getting ready for her second. Being a waitress in a small but intimate bar met only its minimum wage and tips are just a saving grace for her. Of course, free lunch for the staff can also save her some money in order to maximize her take home savings.

Being at work for ten to twelve hours a day and six days a week is something that she never dreamed of but a jet setter with all the perks paid with an unlimited budget is something delusional either. The only way she could find that dream is to search for a wealthy man. No commitments…just work relationship.

However, it was pitiful to say that her second-night job is something that no woman would do unless it is necessary to do.

She hurried home, which is not far away from her work, as rental apartments are getting higher but not their salaries. Juggling two jobs and with a roommate to divide the bills was not enough to cover the monthly expenses. Maybe she should find another roommate but it is unthinkable is she is living in a space of no more than seven hundred square feet. In addition to saving money, taking public transportation and at the very least, riding a bike is another option.

Her apartment was located on the fourth floor and without elevators. The building itself was tight as elevators are expensive to install especially if a person is living in a low-rise apartment. Stairs were slightly wide enough to accommodate at least three people together, maybe for some people.

Fumiko's roommate wasn't there so is the perfect time to lock the door, close the windows and remove all of her work clothes. All that remains is the top and bottom underwear as she opened her closet. At the end of the closet, she pulled out a leather red mini skirt and thought about matching it with scarlet red plunging blouse. These outfits will grab more attention from the men, once she's out at the streets.

She pulled the above-knee boots and its heels were thin sky high. This fetish boots would even add kinky interest and elicit men's fantasies. She sat at the make up table and donned her fake blonde hair. She doesn't want her friends to be recognized as a prostitute by night. _I don't want this job but this is the only way to make money a thousand or more per hour._

She put her foundation lighter than her normal skin tone although she doesn't want to look like a kabuki theater actress. She put on blush in her cheeks and swiped her eyeshades with the smoky eye palettes with a little bit of silver glitter. Lastly, she put her lipstick on with volcanic red in color as if she looked like a gothic doll.

She glimpsed at her electronic watch as it read 10:30 p.m. _It's time to hit the red light districts_, she thought as she desired to aim a take-home pay of more than one hundred thousand yen in one night.

* * *

A lot of people took notice of Fumiko's look. Some of them mistook her as one of anime cosplay players while others inaccurately described her as a movie villain.

However, few men would immediately recognize her as a prostitute judging the way she hunted for rich men. She doesn't care about their age, marital status or occupation of her clients. _Just give me the money and I will give you pleasure_, she imagined herself. The red light district is full of invasive lights of pornographic pictures, words and male gigolos on display.

Women roamed around fishing out some potential clients, as people would avoid this place at all cost. Some tourists tried out of their services out of curiosity while others are seeking pleasurable forms of entertainment.

Fumiko's pimp approached a man in one corner wearing a fedora hat and sunglasses at night. He was wearing casual clothes and doesn't look like he's wealthy. It was indeed a bizarre moment since who in this world would wear sunglasses at this point in time. It was perhaps because of the glaring lights that made this person donned his shades. He was pointing at Fumiko and asked him if she was available.

"Of course, sir! You can talk to her to negotiate."

She wasted no time as she advanced towards him to start hustling.

"How much do you offer?" She demanded.

"It depends on how much can you perform the services." He replied calmly.

"I performed all kinds of services. I insist on the high fee due to my experience." Fumiko boasted.

"Oh! What if I'm not satisfied, will I get a refund?" The client asked.

"You will not get a refund until I satisfy you even if it would take me the whole night to do it."

"Very well. Twenty thousand…"

"Twenty thousand is cheap. I want…."

"I'm not done with my offer. Twenty thousand in US dollars." He interrupted and ended his sentence.

Fumiko's eyes were shocked, as she was never offered by any of her clients more than ten thousand, in a foreign currency, too. Most of the time it was below that amount in local currency and she has to seek another client to attain her quota for the night. At the very least, once she gets it done with this client, she will be finished for tonight. It was easy peasy. She told him that she knew a hotel nearby but he has better ideas.

"I agree with your terms. Shall we go?"

He offered her his arm as she took it and strutted along the red light streets. He led her to his shiny gunmetal colored Bentley car. She raised her eyebrows in delight to see what was to come.

"Perhaps I could make love to you in this car." She told him her fantasy.

"Now, don't get too excited. There's more to come and more than this car has to offer."

Fumiko couldn't believe that she had hit the jackpot client that would give her all the money that she needs. At last, maybe this far-fetched dream of her as a jet setter will be within reach after all. He opened the door for her as she stooped down to enter. As she sat on the passenger seat of the car, she felt the fine leather pressed against her skin. _This is amazing! Bentley is surely the best and the most expensive car in the world! And I am sitting on it,_ she thought eagerly.

He opened his own door, got in the car and closed it smoothly. He put in the keys and turned on the ignition. The engine roared but not much since it was muffled to hear from the inside as it purrs like a kitten.

He drove away from the red light district and turned on some jazz music inside, just to get in the mood. Fumiko sensed that this man is highly cultured and well mannered.

"Do you enjoy this ride?" He inquired.

"Pretty much, especially when I am riding a Bentley." She answered proudly.

"This ride will give you the time of your life." He assured.

Fumiko seemed to be confident that once they get into his place and make some arrangements, she would give him the high ride as well.

* * *

After an hour of driving, Fumiko realized that they're not in the city anymore but in the abandoned park. There were few light posts around and the grass was as tall as three feet. She started to get suspicious that this man on why he didn't drive her to the nearest hotel as he was supposed to as it was agreed on in the first place.

"Where are we?"

"We are in an abandoned park. I assumed you already knew since you've been observing it from the window."

"This is not part of our conversation."

"Of course, it wasn't. When I told you I got better ideas, you immediately consent with it." He informed her.

Fumiko was getting uncomfortable as she got out of the car as fast as she can. She pulled her mobile phone and start dialing the police number. However, it was so far from the city that she was having a hard time getting the signal.

"It's time." He murmured.

She didn't understand what he said until he removed his hat and sunglasses. She froze in fear as he identified himself as the Unspeakable Impaler. His casual clothes were gone and were replaced by black cloak with a double-headed snake wrapped around his body. He doesn't seem to be constricted with the creature. As a matter of fact, he and the creature were moving towards her position in unison and ease.

He took out the knife and she saw it sparkling when hit with the starlight above. However, she knew that the knife he had is no ordinary earthly knife. She inspected from afar that it looked like it was forged by some strange beings. The knife was a foot long, well-crafted obsidian blade and well-designed black skulls as if they were screaming. It was a knife from the damned.

Fumiko wasn't stopping in any distance that she can cover. However, her heels impeded her running ability as she instantly broke off her heels with her bare hands. Now, she can sprint away to where her legs can take her.

A mad man wasn't so surprised with her reaction upon witnessing the obsidian blade in his hand. _You can run away from me, scream and fight me, but I will rip you apart, _he said to himself cruelly.

He leaped and cast a spell unto her and whispered…

_Be gone myself,_

_Appear again._

_With the length she covered,_

_Without effort in me._

In a split second, the Unspeakable Impaler vanished into the thin air.

Fumiko hid behind the bushes and tried hard enough to make her breathing as silent as possible. She knew that he was around nearby and hunting for her blood. She reached for her bag, thinking a charm would work against him. Her hand felt something solid as she pulled it out; it was a clay amulet to ward off evil.

"That amulet is a waste to throw it out." He warned with a murderous tone.

She shrieked in horror as he was standing right behind her and quickly grab her neck. She choked and tried to gasp some air but this night betrayed her being. She reached her arms to scratch his face, grasped his neck or anything that would stop him from killing her but to no avail.

The Unspeakable Impaler raised his arm in the air and punctured the knife at her neck. Blood spewed all over his cloak but it didn't bother him as it faded away instantly. It penetrated half of its length as he pierced it deep down until the knife is no longer visible outside except the tip of the blade that came out to the other side of her neck. She struggled and struggled until her arms and legs ceased flailing helplessly.

The trail of blood grew thicker, as it continuously escaped from her wounded neck. Her skin is paling to a translucent white. With each second passing by, the Unspeakable Impaler wanted her heart to stop, as her eyes became glossy and white. He stared at the lifeless body lying down to the muddy ground, stained with dirt, cut grass, and blood. The blood of his first victim had begun to dry, more brownish than crimson. He was no longer human. Every choice had led him to the side of the damned.

The screaming skulls from the blade were roaring with laughter.

* * *

An early morning sunrise brightens up the whole land as a woman was doing her daily physical exercise along with her dog. Her dog is a beautiful German shepherd with healthy fur colored with dark brown and black. The canine happily ran along with her but suddenly halted in caution.

Its snout went up in the air to pick up an unusual scent.

The dog barked louder as its tail was wagging wildly and tried to find the source of that scent. "Calm down, Chad. What is wrong with you? Do you want to chase the fox again?" The owner said.

It pulled her forward and it was so strong as the leash stretch tightly to where the dog wanted to go. She had no choice but to follow him and he instantly sniffed the ground and followed the trail. It brought her into the deep tall grasses and thought that it led her to an abandoned park. _Why would Chad bring me to this place? I don't want to jog here,_ she mused.

The canine encircled the area repetitively and walked a few more feet away from her. She has to let go off the leash as it inspected the area thoroughly.

Finally, it stopped and barked loudly as it can.

The owner went closer to where her dog was standing and she was disturbed to what she had witnessed. A corpse lied down to the grassy ground with her clothes on. She's a prostitute by the way she clothed herself but her flesh was partially dried, eyes were closed and sunken at its sockets and a dried brown substance were all over her. The scent was overwhelming with a rotten carcass. She wanted to yell for help but no sound came out from her throat. She tried to grab a leash from her dog to run away.

"Chad, come with me. We are going to the nearest police station."

However, the dog stood firmly in his position, as it doesn't want to leave.

"Chad, don't worry. Stay here and I'll get help as soon as possible."

The owner ran frantically and tried to find her way to the main road to where she usually jogged. It took less time to find some assistance as she spotted a police car parked with two officers inside. She hurriedly went to that car and started knocking at its window. One of the officers slid it down and asked why. She explained that her dog found a corpse at the abandoned park and she can lead the way to where it was.

The police picked up its handheld transceiver and requested for more assistance, specifically from the homicide division. The dog owner and the police officer went ahead right away to the reported area. She ran hurriedly and whipped the tall grasses aside to clearly see what lies in front of them. The dog's barks were getting louder and louder as she knew they were getting closer.

Upon their arrival, she noticed something abnormal.

The dog approached its owner and came at her side but the corpse became skeletal in a shortest time ever since she left it. It was the most extraordinary and paranormal happening that she ever witnessed in her life. It was far fetched from what she had seen in less than an hour ago.

"How did that happened?" The officer questioned her earlier description.

"I don't know, sir. I swear I really don't know." She said in disbelief.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5 - So We Meet Again

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 5 – So We Meet Again

_When I fall in love, it will be forever  
Or I'll never fall in love  
In a restless world like this is  
Love is ended before it's begun  
And too many moonlight kisses  
Seem to cool in the warmth of the sun _

_When I give my heart, it will be completely  
Or I'll never give my heart  
And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too  
Is when I fall in love with you_

_And the moment I can feel that you feel that way too  
Is when I fall in love with you_

The song played melodramatically over and over again at Shizuru's wireless headphones. It's funny that she rarely listened to romance, as she was cautious not to let Aya discover her love-struck feelings to her rescuer, Sakyo. There are times that Aya caught her whispering his name and asked what was she trying to say. Shizuru just brushed her off, told her that she just talking and reminding some matters to herself.

Or is it?

Aya was a quick observer, too. Shizuru cannot deny her sharp scrutiny like a veteran detective who is eager to solve the case within the shortest possible amount of time. Her psychic senses got lost in a moment whenever she reminisced the way he pulled her arm, took her to the safe place and advised her not to venture that route again. His voice, face, eyes, and body are too much to bear for Shizuru to imagine. As a matter of fact, if she hugged him at that very moment as her debt of gratitude, she will lose her mind in an instant.

_Is this how someone feels when they're in love?_

Ah, yes the subject of love! Love is so elusive to Shizuru's dictionary as she thought it never existed until Sakyo came along to her life. Falling in love is a unique, dizzying, overwhelming, pleasant and sometimes, a frightening experience. It is somewhat horrifying because this is the area that Shizuru would never step out from her comfort zone until that fateful night. What if she didn't take that route home? Will it be possible that she will encounter him with the same euphoric event?

Probably not because there is no dramatic event involved in getting lost in the city, malicious people chased her, a prince came along and a helpless damsel was saved. It looked like a perfect script ready to act out by actors in a movie.

However, life was not a movie. Life was way bigger than a movie because these occurrences happened unexpectedly as if God is the director. We are actors and actresses in his divine viability.

"Shizuru! You're taking so long in the bathroom! I need to pee!" Aya screamed and banged behind the closed door.

Shizuru snapped out from her imagination as she stood up from the closed toilet seat, took off her headphones, turned off her phone and got out from the bathroom, with the slight mess in her hair. She didn't realize that she hasn't combed it until she saw herself in the mirror.

"What took you so long? Are you constipated?"

"No!" Shizuru said embarrassingly. "I'm on my headphones listening to spiritual chants."

"Are you meditating in the bathroom with headphones? That is very unusual for you!" Aya accused her.

Aya got into Shizuru's skin, as she knew she is getting closer and closer to suspecting her that she was in love. The series of unfortunate but obvious incidents cannot contain themselves from secrecy.

"I need to go to my bedroom. I think I'm not feeling well."

"Good! It's about time you noticed yourself that you are not the Shizuru that I know of."

_She's right. I'm not my usual self. I felt ashamed that after I lectured Aya about her unrequited love to her ex-fiancé, Kenji. It looked like it boomeranged on me. _

Shizuru got goose bumps all over her arms upon thinking that it became a role reversal on how love can be addictive as a drug. It can be abused, blinded and enslaved oneself. What is worst is that she met him only on one night. What more if she sees him every day at the streets, stores or he even might be a next-door neighbor.

Maybe that's how addictive Sakyo is to her.

What if he's engaged?

What if he's married?

What if he lived in a different region?

Shizuru had experienced a sudden wave of confusing thoughts and compelled to use her psychic powers to find out who Sakyo is. The temptation of questing his background made her be determined as ever. However, she recognized that it is not for the good intentions that would benefit others. It would only benefit her. Psychic abilities are neither good nor bad but it will be the judge on how one will use it. If a person used it to help humanity in order to achieve a higher purpose, then it was evidence of good use. However, if one person used it for the purpose of greed or harm, then it is classified as misuse.

_ I would like to use it just once for myself. I am curious about Sakyo, my savior for that night._

Suddenly, she remembered the message that she meditated a few nights ago.

_He is the shining one,_

_One will show you the way._

_Of both obvious and hidden truths,_

_Between his and your worlds._

_Come to him and forge your powers,_

_For you will defeat the challenges._

_Stay with him as much as time will allow,_

_For time is not on his side._

"That's not what I'm searching for. I am after his being." Shizuru declared.

Silence met her ears as if what was she's wishing for the impossible. Her spiritual guide provided what she needed and not what she wanted. For some reason, she was not satisfied with its answer.

"But that was his spiritual being, you idiot. It revealed that 'He is the shining one, the one will show you the way.'" Shizuru talked back to herself.

Aya burst through the door without knocking first, "Are you really okay? This talking back therapy is getting too far!"

"I'm alright and now scram!" Shizuru ordered.

She shut the door so close and heard thundering footsteps fading away from her vicinity. _That was close_, she thought with relief. She let out a huge breath and slowly sat down to the floor. She felt her spiritual guide betrayed her of her wishes but what can she do at this point? Why did she persistently demand all of Sakyo's physical status but it bears no meaning in the first place. So what if he's married, had children or engaged?

_You're afraid of losing him_.

This spiritual guide of hers knew when to interfere and answer appropriately all of her questions. It didn't betray her but guided silently and let her produce her own reason after all. It served her a purpose of message bearer, who assist her in finding and obtaining information, improving her ability to gather, hear and deliver messages from the spirit world. It also helped her develop clairvoyant skills. However, Shizuru needed more time for the latter.

_Separate your feelings from him. Once you do, deeply reflect into him._

She tried to discern her feelings by purposely forgetting the night she was rescued. She laid down to the mat and slowly closed her eyes. She breathed in and out as slowly as she can as it began to become deeper and deeper. She felt the tips of her fingers turning cold. Twenty minutes have passed until she produced a vision.

She can see through her third eye about Sakyo pulling and running her away to safety. However, she noticed the difference that her would-be attackers were not present and her feet were levitated from the ground. The dark alleyways were there but there were no apartments, no garbage bags, no people around…

…and he stopped from his tracks.

He turned around and got closer to her. His face was an inch away from hers and Shizuru tried hard to maintain her composure. His arms were wrapped around her waist as hers were in his shoulders. When she met his gaze, she felt drawn to his eyes. Her vision was so realistic that she is having a hard time to discriminate whether this is a meditation session or just a by-product of a typical day.

However, this is not an ordinary phantasm. It has been too dark to get a good look at them, but Sakyo's eyes were intensely blue, almost deepest blue full of complicated emotions. It was full of life yet so uncertain. It was varied with the sadness of heartbreak, the joy of love, the hope of the future, the pain of sorrow and the fire of a spirit that would never give up.

Before Shizuru could breathe another air, she was drowning as the currents pulled her away.

Shizuru found herself in the middle of incredible sea waves, rising and falling in gigantic sizes, accompanied by violent torrential rains. She also sensed abrupt changes in water temperatures as her body was having a difficult time adapting to it. She was searching for Sakyo but he wasn't anywhere to be found. Her head was bopping up and down from the water level as she fought to stay afloat to catch some precious air. Did he abandon her?

"Sakyo! Help me!"

He never materialized upon pleading for aid. She was submerging and there was no time left to spare from losing her life in the currents. Alas, her body surrendered despite her tireless efforts to live.

Drowning was not loud, dramatic and splashy, as we have seen and known in movies. It was silent; movements are subtle and rarely made any noise at all. Shizuru let herself sank in an immense but lifeless ocean. No fishes, no sharks, no sea plants…

…but Sakyo was there underneath the ocean.

She was grateful to get a sight of him but he made no attempts to take a step to be close to her. Instead, he nodded upon his command for her to get closer to him. She sensed the currents cooperated at his will as she was swept away smoothly and delicately. Like a feather floating in the air, she came into full awareness that she was at the unfathomable area of complete isolation from humanity.

At last, she was brought to him and detected some air.

"Sakyo, thank you!" Shizuru mumbled.

He didn't reply.

Instead, they found themselves in the vast garden with a poorly lit outline of a mansion in the background. The willow trees were perfectly aligned on the side of the road, bushes were well trimmed but noticed that there are no fruits grown.

"Where are we?"

He opened his mouth but he has no voice to speak out the words that he wanted to imply. She noticed that he was walking away in a backward motion. He smiled, waved his hand and continued to stride in the opposite direction.

"Come back!" She pleaded.

Her words fell deaf into his ears.

She wanted to follow him in desperation but her feet got stuck in the mud. She didn't know how to react as she witnessed that he was disappearing. The pain pierced sharply when her heart got torn and it felt like it was forever. Her world collapsed in a moment of loss as her mind repeatedly called his name. She could only hear her own echoes and nothing else. Sakyo was gone and she knew it was time to be alone.

Shizuru's fear ended her meditation session.

* * *

Morning has come around again too soon in the busiest metropolis in the world. The sun was up and blazing against the wide windows of towering buildings. Shizuru rested her head against her arm, lying down against her office table. Pictures, illustrations, colored pencils and papers about interior designing were all over it, as she doesn't have the nerve to start her work.

"Have you made your decision?" Akane, reminded her.

"About what?" She wondered.

"I think you've forgotten about the billionaire client that I want you to take."

Shizuru wanted to knock her head time and time again against the table, wall, metal or any solid surface that would make her brain function at its normal state. Though, she hasn't completely unable to recall their last conversation.

"Is this the same person who only wanted black, pewter, gold, minimalism and midcentury modern?" She speculated.

"Correct! He called me yesterday and asked if you could meet him today by lunchtime at the Osteria Altieri Restaurant and evaluate his apartment at Minato Ward after." Akane informed her subordinate.

"What! Are you crazy? Is it today by lunchtime? I haven't made a decision yet." Shizuru protested.

"I've notified you a week ago and you said you would think about it. I also advised you not to take too long because he is an important client. He doesn't want to be kept waiting." Akane reminded her with a little anger from her voice.

"Eventually, you told him I said 'yes', without my knowledge." She predicted.

"Yes, I said that because you're too slow to respond. I don't want to give this important project to anyone else. I know you can do this." Her supervisor told her with complete faith.

"I'll take this billionaire heap! Just let me set aside from all of my other pending projects so that I could concentrate on this one. I want to get this job done so that I could move on and continue with other important plans." Shizuru said with a sound of annoyance coming from her.

"Thank you, Shizuru! Once this project is complete and if he is satisfied with your designs, I promise that you could take home sixty-five percent on commission." Akane vowed.

"You better keep that promise or else I'll resign." She threatened.

Akane smiled and gladly returned to her private office.

_That prick! If she weren't my supervisor, I would be engaged in a screaming match! I hate surprises but I hate myself for letting me take this! I should have turned it down in the first place!_ She cursed herself.

Shizuru looked up to the clock and read 11:30 a.m.

"Just grab whatever you can grab and go!"

* * *

The Osteria Altieri Restaurant was located on one of the expensive parts of Minato, the Azabu-Juban and it took only a few subway stops from her office building. Shizuru was half pleased that she later learned that this billionaire client bought an apartment at Park Court Azabu-Juban Residential Tower. It was a penthouse of three bedrooms, two and a half baths and a stunning view of the metropolis.

She wished to live in this area if money wasn't an issue. It was a lively residential area with the convenience of small shops, restaurants, and bars. She loved the cobbled stones pavement in some places and a tranquil village-like atmosphere. It was a block away from the main road and yet she felt like it was a mile away.

She spotted the restaurant with the menu displayed outside. The exterior was simple concrete with darkened windows to prevent outside distractions. She entered through the glass door as a female receptionist welcomed her. They both slightly bowed in respect to each other.

"Welcome to Osteria Altieri. How may I help you today?"

"Hello. I'm looking for a client who I am about to meet him or her."

"Do you this person's name?"

Shizuru felt like a fool of not knowing her client's name and the worst part is that it was a few minutes away from lunchtime. How could she forget to ask Akane about this client's name? It was unfortunate to say that this is the most important part of the business meeting and that can potentially make or break her deal and salary.

"I'm sorry but my supervisor did not brief me his or her name."

"Oh, no worries. According to this data entered in the log, your name is Shizuru Kuwabara. Am I correct?" The receptionist inquired.

"Yes, that's correct."

"It was a male client who was waiting for you. In addition, I was also informed by my supervisor that he was expecting to meet you in a private lounge area."

_What in the world is she talking about? _Shizuru pondered in disbelief.

She took a menu book from the side, "come with me, please." She instructed.

Shizuru had no choice but to follow the receptionist. They both passed through the customers and made their way from the tables, chairs, bar area, and the wine cellar. She slid a small wall and revealed a secret passage to a small elevator leading to the private lounge. There were five doors with two on each side of the hallway. At the end of it, there's another rich colored mahogany door with a sign "PRIVATE" plated in gold, matching its doorknob. How big is this restaurant?

"He was waiting for you. Enjoy!" The receptionist turned the doorknob to allow her to access and made a gesture to proceed.

The dining table was not far away from the door as Shizuru's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't believe that this billionaire client is the same person that she thought it was her savior who helped her escape nights ago from her assailants. She strolled nearer towards him in wariness. His raven-black hair hanged softly from his head down to his shoulders, his facial scar, his infectious smile and most of all his sharp deep blue eyes.

"So, we meet again," Sakyo said in amusement.

Shizuru lost her words for a moment but quickly recovered, "Yes, we met before. I didn't expect you to be here."

The receptionist laid the menu book in the dining table and left the room inaudibly. All they could hear was a soft sound of click coming from the doorknob. Sakyo observed her from his seat and analyzed her from the head down to her feet. She was wearing a black pencil skirt, white blouse, and mustard blazer. He appeared to be mesmerized about Shizuru's physical features.

"Me either. I didn't expect that you would be here, too."

-To be continued-


	6. Chapter 6 - The Search Is Not Over

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 6 – The Search Is Not Over

_He's here right in front of me!_

_I'm not meditating nor dreaming!_

_He's real!_

Shizuru couldn't help but to gently reminded her business meeting with Sakyo. She has to make an impression that she is the top caliber in interior designing. Obviously, she wouldn't be so if the Red Swallow and Associates didn't employ her in the first place. She slightly lost her self-control on how she was crazily meditating in the past days only to be met with the billionaire client in person. After this meeting, she could kiss her supervisor for offering this project.

She took her chair and pulled towards her in order to create some space to sit. As she did so, she adjusted it again to make herself closer to the dining table. He was wearing a dark navy formal business suit with a white collared shirt and a light blue necktie. The dining table was covered in white thick linen with porcelain plates, crystal clear wine glass and shiny silver cutlery. A small square glass vase with a freshly cut mix of flowers was placed perfectly at the center.

The waiter introduced himself respectfully. He notified them that there would be a four-course lunch menu with wine pairings. Desserts are available and also a special menu for the day. Shizuru almost jumped to her seat when she heard wine pairing. This is the first and the fanciest business lunch meeting that she ever had.

Sakyo took the table napkin and flattened above his lap as Shizuru did the same only to be noticed that her hands were mildly shaking.

"Are you nervous?" He asked intuitively.

"Um, no!" She immediately replied although her loosen nerves gave away.

"Don't be. Pretend that we were just dating." He suggested.

_That's the problem! I felt like I am dating you! If only you knew that I couldn't stop thinking about you both physically and spiritually from dusk till dawn._

"Before we begin our discussion, I believed that Akane spoke to you about my selection of colors."

"Yes, there were black, pewter and gold. You also want to have a minimalist design with a touch of midcentury modern."

"Correct. You are so keen on details." Sakyo praised her.

The waiter arrived with its first dish and placed two plates for each of them. The plate was consisted of caviar, which is a salt-cured roe from a sturgeon fish. It was said to be as one of the most sought after delicacy of the rich.

"That being said, do you have any sample designs with you?"

"Yes! As a matter of fact, I have it on my Ipad." Shizuru mentioned.

She took out her Ipad from her bag and pushed the power button. It lighted on and a folder appeared on the main screen. She swiped to open and double tapped the folder labeled as "Interior Designs". Under that file, she saw a file name that she doesn't have the guts to show it to Sakyo. It was named, "Billionaire trash designs".

She immediately renamed that file to "Important Client", carefully typing the letters as if nothing significant happened. As soon as she corrected it, she double tapped the file again to reveal the sample designs.

Shizuru handed him her Ipad and Sakyo gladly took it away from her. From there, he extensively studied the pictures, colors, and potential designs according to his liking mindfully. He stopped at one particular design and profoundly thought if this design was meant for him to live on at his apartment. After careful consideration, he handed it back at her.

"I'm impressed with all your designs. You really listened and internalized my taste of colors. However, I noticed that you also included some white colors in it. I did not specify that." Sakyo pointed out.

"I knew you are going to say that but please let me explain. There is the reason why I included white in most of my designs because black and pewter are too depressing to paint in the walls. Color white will break the dominance of dark colors." She clarified.

"Gold is already a bright color. Do you think by adding white will be too dominant for the lighter side?" He questioned her.

"It is true that gold is a strong color but I would only use it as for accessories only. The color white will be used sparingly in the walls. As I said, it will break the dominance of dark colors."

Sakyo contemplated for a moment about her rationale on why a white color could be enhanced rather than contrasted in her designs. Black and white colors were tricky to combine as they were complete opposites. It could create stunning and dramatic décor. It would either be a huge success or failure, nothing in between.

After a few minutes, he finally spoke, "I trust your judgment. I will allow you to use white color according to your designs." He approved.

"I promise that I will not disappoint you. The use of black and white in decorating gives a fresh, clean, unquestionably sophisticated and elegant look to any room." Shizuru assured.

"Very well. I look forward to the outcome with days to come."

She resumed consuming her caviar, scooping with white sea shell pearl spoon. Hunger pangs stroked mercilessly into her stomach. _When are we going to eat the main course? It was already 12:45 and I am extremely famished_.

As if her words were prophecy, the waiter came into view with two additional courses. One was called 'crudo' which means raw in Italian. It was composed of freshly caught varying kinds of fishes while the other was pasta. However, this is not the typical pasta that she sees every day. It was pasta but instead of yellowish in color with red tomato sauce, it was black colored with red wine braised octopus and bone marrow. He also poured some rose wine in each of their glasses.

_Oh my, the bone marrow was melting in perfection and it was so luscious to eat! _She mused.

"Did you enjoy this place?" Sakyo inquired.

"Yes, very much enjoyed. It was my first time here to be in Azabu-Juban. It was not just the restaurant but the whole village as well." She said shyly.

"I love this area, too. How do get into interior designing?"

"I just love creativity and decorating homes. What about you? What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a businessman. A venture capitalist I might say." He told her.

"What kind of business are you into?" She interrogated.

"A lot. Investments in construction, residential, small and large scale businesses that have the potential to create huge profits." Sakyo muttered plainly.

Shizuru slightly bowed her head towards her food; Sakyo never took his eyes off her while he drank his wine. Those deep blue eyes hypnotically made her break away from his gaze. She wasn't comfortable with those long stares especially when Sakyo was in front of her up close and personal.

"I would like to propose a toast, the start of our wonderful friendship. Today, may this friendship begin with a journey towards prosperity, happiness, trust, and love!" He announced.

Shizuru took her wine glass and raised it up in the air, "Cheers!"

"Cheers!" Sakyo replied with a grin.

* * *

A blue-haired woman with brown eyes and a petite physical built went home to her single-room apartment after marathon sessions with her clients. It was getting harder by each and every day making a living out of fortune telling. Fortune telling by dream interpretation has been practiced for millennia. Sure, there are plenty of ways to predict the future such as reading tea leaves, tarot cards, palmistry, and even crystal gazing. However, in her own opinion, dream interpretation was one of the oldest practice of divinity; considered as supernatural communication interpreted by people like her with spiritual powers.

Botan sat at her couch, reached for the remote control and pushed the 'on' button to watch what was happening in their community. She hasn't been watching the news lately but she sensed something was wrong and the activity was strongly disturbing.

The newscaster appeared on the television with papers on his hands. He was looking directly at the camera while reading some important information coming from the teleprompter. He reported that a skeletal body was found in an abandoned park without any physical evidence of the killing. According to one witness, who happened to be a jogger while running with her dog, she found the body in a decomposing corpse. Upon calling an aid from police standing nearby, she and the officer were surprised by the speed of the decaying process.

_ No physical trace, no witnesses of actual murder and therefore no evidence._

_ What is worst is that it happened here on earth? _

_ What is this horrible creature that killed the victim without any resistance?_

Botan knew in an instant that it was a creature from the underworld, that it has been responsible for the victim's death. However, the question is what kind and how it was brought into the earth. With that kind of viciousness, the creature was not from the lower class. It might be from the higher class since the way it executed the victim was powerful enough to change to a skeleton in less than twenty-four hours and was systematically plan.

She extended her arm to grab a paper and pen to write some important notes; she continued to watch the television about this unsolved mystery. He presumed that the victim was said to be a female prostitute who happened to meet a stranger in the red light district. Many witnesses claimed the pimp saw the suspect close hand but he couldn't recall his exact features. All that he could remember was that the suspect was wearing a hat and sunglasses; he drove a very expensive car but doesn't have a license plate on it. The potential suspect is unusually strange in behavior, almost inhuman.

_Could it be that this possible suspect is a demon?_

Botan couldn't help herself but to turn off the television to do her own investigative work. She glanced down in her writings and wrote possibilities on how this creature escaped from the infernal. The likelihood of this certain type of demon was that it broke the barrier without alarming the highly sensitive earth guards who overseer the gate.

She projected her spirit and left her physical body in a quiet sitting posture. Her ethereal being was flown away upon thoughtful command; she clothed herself with a black cloak so that no lower entity could detect her. Upon reaching the abandoned park, she can see through her third eye that the victims' soul was there but shattered into pieces. She was unable to help her considering the damaged soul was so extensively fragmented.

Botan tried to recreate the creature by murmuring some spells. In a few minutes, she saw a double-headed snake reappeared, slithering through a tiny passage from the underworld. From there, something ghastly happened. The fragmented soul started screaming as loud as it can but couldn't. Her cries were piercing but not loud enough to hurt her ears. It was shaking violently by the sight of the creature as the poor spirit begged to stop mutilating her. She immediately cast a spell to banish the beast, and so it did.

The victim's entity silently faded away from the grassy background and rested in peace.

Botan couldn't believe what she saw. She hurriedly went back to her physical body and awakened her senses. The double-headed snake permanently imprinted in her mind, as she promptly wrote down her findings.

_ The creature that I have witnessed upon recreating an event is a double-headed serpent. From my knowledge, it was classified as one of the higher demons in the underworld. It was also closely associated with the chief of the infernal. In mankind's ancient times, it was regarded as an omnipresent and worshipped at its highest. In one particular example, the Aztecs evoked their presence in order to please them. This demon escaped from the lower realm in order to corrupt humanity as so they did time immemorial._

_ This serpent needs to send back to the underworld and permanently cage in order to reduce the chaos here on earth. However, doing so requires the highest heavenly power or a wise ancient soul, with an experience dealing with this demon._

Botan halted her writings and began to perspire with her research. Who in their right mind would call an ancient and wise soul to either incarcerate or terminate a demon? Could it be her or someone else?

"Someone who has a perfect soul and underwent several reincarnations. I think that is the only hope." She mumbled.

* * *

Kensao Namio, a grayed hair middle-age man was sitting in his office chair, scratching his head on how this one-of-a-kind cold case happened with no physical pieces of evidence. His table was laid with pictures, DNA reports, narrative reports from eyewitnesses and more papers concerning possible timelines of an unknown criminal. He received a call from his supervisor, Noburo Jin, to work in this case as this twenty-year veteran, was puzzled himself. He responded during the wee hours in the evening to investigate the case while the evidence was as fresh as possible.

It is imperative to track every fresh lead as soon as it is practical. As a result, it is not uncommon to work up to 20 hours straight, or more, after initially responding to a scene.

His homicide detective partner, Mantaro Isa, who was ten years younger than him, has five-year experience in this field. Although he still needed guidance, he has no problems in picking up a pace, as his ability to learn quickly doesn't mind the veteran to take him under his wing.

"It's very interesting, Mantaro. Never in my homicide detective career, this case exists in our lifetimes. This might take a long time to solve." Kensao noted.

"Or it might end up as an unresolved case." The rookie added.

"But we're not giving up. We might be dealing with a criminal with extensive knowledge in forensic science. It seemed that the way this person killed the victim was methodical." He theorized.

Mantaro took a small notebook from his back pocket of his jeans and started to scribble some notes. He never saw his supervisor thought so deeply as if he is solving a crime that disregards how much time to sacrifice would take him. This posed as a challenge in their careers, whether a detective is a veteran or a rookie, on how they would connect the dots to make sense or recreate this hideous event.

"Kensao, do you think this person might have a criminal partner, too?"

"It's a possibility." He pointed out.

Mantaro chose an attached document with a picture in it from the table; which showed a victim, was already in skeletal form. He read a lengthy DNA report that stated the possible criminal has no fingerprints, hair strands, saliva or even scratch skin coming from every part of the body. It indicated that the fastening process of decaying might have affected it.

"A witness said that she found the body in a rotten corpse. Thirty minutes later, that same corpse turned into a skeleton. Do you think the killer inserted some kind of chemical in the body?" The homicide apprentice questioned.

"According to the autopsy report, there were no chemicals found except for salt." Kensao wondered.

"Salt? Is it like earth salt?"

"Yes. As a matter of fact, it was a chemical called natron, which was responsible for the drying process. In normal circumstances, it would take a month or two to achieve a similar result. However, what happened here took less than an hour to do so. The natron has some sand particles found in the skeleton and…." Kensao cut himself off.

"And?" Mantaro asked curiously.

"That same sand particles were also identical to the mummification used by an ancient civilization." He revealed.

"What? A mummification!"

"Mummification was performed during the ancient civilization of Egypt, to preserve their kings, queens or anyone related to nobility. It was an extensive procedure that involves draining, removal of organs, drying, stuffing, and wrapping. However, what happened here did not exist. The criminal bypassed the removal process and applied natron directly." Kensao explained

"There is one strange thing about this natron. We compared to other known natrons in every corner found in this nation…"

"Is it a rare natron?" Mantaro questioned.

"A rare natron composed of black salt, hot sand and a slight smell of sulfur. It was something supernatural."

"Where in this world would you find that substance? I never encountered any regular salt that is mixed with sand and sulfur. Besides, we didn't find the skeleton burned." The rookie countered.

"That's the strangest part, too. It wasn't burned but it wasn't rotten in a slowed process either." Kensao added.

Mantaro couldn't believe what he was hearing. How in this mad world would a perpetrator apply this unknown chemical found and was peculiar to man? A committer must have imported those substances from abroad and concocted his own formula in order to add more problems to solve. In addition, the criminal might buy his time in search of another victim. A criminal mind was hard to crack open to whatever plan he might be designing. It would be sound to say that it was similar to a maze, which was surrounded by concrete towering walls and traps that might lead to a dead end. Endless turns, narrow ways and escapes only to arrive in a conclusion that would lead to another set of a maze.

Kensao rubbed his chin from side to side as he put his spectacles on. He tried to find a logical explanation of this matter. Mantaro, meanwhile, sat beside him wondering what would his partner do next. What is even worst where did he find neither this non-existent substance that requires no burning nor decaying but it happened at the same time?

The search is far from over.

It only just began.

-To be continued-


	7. Chapter 7 - Blood Moon II

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 7 – Blood Moon II

_It's 10:57 p.m._

_Where is he?_

_He's been so obsessive with work that he has no time for me!_

_What have I done with my life?_

Kaori Naito was impatiently waiting for her fiancé as she incessantly glanced at her watch. Earlier, she came home anticipating that he would be at home almost the same time as him. She prepared his favorite and delicious dinner, thinking that he would be surprised and thank her that he was the luckiest man alive to find a future wife like her.

However, it ended up in disappointment.

She heard a knock from the door and stride towards to open it. It was Mantaro Isa, a young and upcoming detective, whom she knew him when they were in grade school. Both of their parents knew each other, so they didn't encounter any objections to their awaiting marriage. She thought that it would be as easy and smooth, but it was becoming regrettable to engage with a man that he became so out of reach.

Mantaro entered through the door as she noticed that dark circles around his eyes are getting prominent. He gave her a simple smooch in the cheek as Kaori coldly respond to his affection. His lips were bland and she can tell that there is no romance involved as she has this notion that it was dead…dead as a coffin nails.

"Working hard?" She asked.

"Yes, dear. It was a cold case that Kensao and I have been investigating on. It was also a bizarre one." He explained.

"How many nights do I have to endure this?" She exasperated.

"Kaori, you need to understand that my job doesn't require a 9 to 5 job. It's a never-ending cycle of finding the criminal roaming around the city." Mantaro defended.

"So when are you going to understand my situation that I kept waiting and waiting for you to call or text me when are you going home? I've prepared your favorite meal, expecting that you would come early but I ended up eating alone."

"Kaori, I'm sorry. I know that…"

"I know that and I know this! I'm tired of your excuses. It looked like you're running out of excuses that I'm finding you a liar."

"That's not true! Don't accuse me as a liar, Kaori. I've worked so hard for all of my life just for us to share the life that I think we deserve. We love a happy and normal life with you, me and to our future children. We shared this vision ever since we get to know each other and we mutually entered this relationship. I love you. It hurts when you blame me when things are getting out of hand."

Kaori wanted to cover her ears and disappear right in front of him. She wanted to cry but she cried every night as she is getting tired of it. Sadness reigned over her, as she felt empty inside devouring her like a wild animal that hasn't eaten for days. It was scary not just for her but both of them. There is nothing to do to get rid of it.

Mantaro felt uneasy about Kaori's emotional upheaval. Sure, there are times she cried at night but not every single night. It was something that he thought of breaking away from her. However, doing so might complicate her fragile feelings. He couldn't help, too, the nature of his work as a detective. He was an upcoming and promising investigator that a lot of his colleagues were discussing among themselves that he would take over Kensao someday. He worked for five years in a metropolitan police department and he wanted to stay longer with his supervisor to receive more mentorship and gather more experience.

"Kaori, we're both tired. Perhaps it's time to go to bed. I promise that we will spend the whole week just the two of us."

She has no choice but to agree with him as they both walked towards to their bedroom. Mantaro removed his clothes and entered the bathroom to take a shower. Meanwhile, Kaori change her clothes to a long nightgown and lay down in their bed to dozed off to sleep.

Hours later, when Kaori heard Mantaro sleeping soundly, she silently departed from their bed and went to the bathroom without turning the lights on. She had her phone and double-tapped the MeetUp App. On it, she was checking every profile at every single male available for dating. She continued to scroll the screen, carefully scanning their looks, likes and dislikes, interests and hobbies. There is no one in particular that caught her attention.

She was about to close the app but a notification of a new profile was uploaded in an instant. In it, she studied the profile carefully about a man who is single, green eyes and black short hair, looking for a woman who is intelligent, funny, a great conversationalist and loves to cook. Kaori thought that she was qualified for this man. He described himself, as a man who loves to meet new people, talks about food and culture, loves visiting museums especially with a special someone and was fluent in four languages.

Kaori got excited with his profile as she immediately sent him a message about herself. She indicated that she was the one that he was searching for and she was excited to meet him. She waited for a few minutes until she heard a singular sound coming from the app, a notification that he received her message and promptly replied back. He texted her that he read briefly about her profile and it seemed that she mostly fulfilled his likes for a woman. He even took notice of her profile picture that she was exotically beautiful. He lived in another country but was living in Japan right now as a language teacher. He can't wait to meet her if their corresponding schedules do not create conflict.

Her heart got enthusiastic about how this new guy replied so quickly as she can see herself and him that they will get along to each other just fine.

His name was Ugen Inat.

* * *

The darkroom was like a place out of time, a place to rest without consequence. The darkness in that way was a sanctuary; a place to recharge and forget the things the world said had to be done. On this moonless night have their silhouettes gone; a stranger heard a monotone coming from his mobile phone. In a small screen, he saw an alert from the message center that a woman named Kaori Naito eagerly replied with his profile, one of his ways to bait his next victim.

She took to heart about his physical features, his interests and his vivacity about meeting new people with a level of cultural attentiveness. She described herself as a single woman, who was about to engage with a man occupied with his profession as a detective. As per her account, she wanted to break free from the clutches of boredom.

He identified himself as Ugen Inat, as a cultured man wanting to show her how fascinating she is and that through her, museums and languages are the important factors that he thinks this future relationship would last for a lifetime. He wanted to enchant her with foreign words that any local women would fall in love and abruptly swept into their feet.

Unknowingly to her, he was a foreigner from the underworld waiting to cast a spell on her, so that her soul would directly deposit to the choir of condemnation.

He decided to engage in a conversation with her as he typed the messages to thoroughly study her background.

_My name is Ugen Inat. Thank you for reading my profile._

_ You're welcome! Your profile was so unique and interesting. What do you do for a living?_

_ I currently teach foreign languages. What about you?_

_ I'm a housewife. I used to work but I decided to stop for now._

_ Are you planning to get back to work?_

_ I don't know. If circumstances would allow me then yes, I would like to. I don't know much about museums but I would like to know and learn about it._

_ I believe you will love being in museums. It tells history about mankind's achievements and unfortunately some failures as well. Usually, foreign languages are included but I wouldn't mind translating it for you._

_ Oh, you really know how to have ways with women._

_ I'm just a guy who loves cultures. Any man is cultural anyway._

_ But you are one of a kind. So different from the man I knew._

_ I'm sorry to ask because it's too personal but do you have any man in your life right now?_

_ I have one but he looked disinterested to me but not to his occupation._

_ Oh, why is that? What does he do?_

_ He comes home very late every night ever since he started working on a new case of a victim found in the abandoned park._

So her man is a detective. This is interesting, he thought.

_Oh, that's a sensitive case to handle. I guess he wanted to solve the crime so that the victim's family will have a peaceful resolution._

_ Yes. I do agree with you that it was a sensitive case. I guess I'm too selfish for him._

_ No, you're not. You just miss him severely. To tell you what, let's meet in a museum and after that, we are going to have a great dinner to forget your problems. I'll drive you to the park if time allows us to do so. Thank you for trusting me even though we haven't met in person yet._

_ Thank you, too, for listening as well. I really wanted to express my loneliness because it's eating me up. I think I feel better now. Let me know what time so that I could prepare myself and we could meet each other._

_ Certainly! Will 6:00 p.m. be all right?_

_ Wait? 6:00 p.m.? Do you think that's late for a museum hour?_

_ It was actually the last visiting time and people are not that a lot. I prefer that way so that it will be an intimate time for just both of us._

_ Okay! I'll see you at 6:00 p.m. then. Goodnight!_

_Ut tibi requiem, bene et pacifice_

_ What's that?_

_ Goodnight and sleep well in Latin. _

Their conversation ended with a positive note, or at least for her. However, Ugen Inat's goodnight message conveyed something different. It literally means, "May you rest well and peacefully." He should have added 'in the grave.'

The black portal to the underworld opened from the floor as the double-headed snake slithered its way up to the living world. From the place of the damned, he could hear the eternal screams these unfortunate souls, who cannot escape from the chains of negativity with horrific realities as the minions brought them into dysfunction. As the gateway closed, it commended Ugen Inat's malicious play of luring the victim to its potential trap. In so little ways, he slowly delivers his obligations.

"You are truly a gifted vile from ancient earth."

"I was born with it without external influences. It was a chosen path."

"It was a well-chosen path. You made a wise choice. Tell me, what do you think of this plan."

"I see no problems with this plan despite her lover is a detective. I got powers to clothe myself from physical traces that any man would make him look like a fool."

"Yes, you do have them but keep them in mind, these powers were earned by you. You are part of our realm."

"I am fully aware of that until he fulfills them all. Our mutual understanding doesn't have any conflict or errors around it."

"Of course! Our aim is to spread chaos on this earth. We would like them to infuse them with our filth. The one that creeps into society slowly, hiding its devilish threat under the apparent garb of virtue, which can create a devastating effect because of its slow-poisoning effect."

The snake hissed hysterically as it entered into the portal again to disappear. Ugen Inat was taking his steps closer to achieving their grim reality.

* * *

Kaori was humming happily, as she prepared to wear her earrings, bracelets and a necklace. Her hairstyle and makeup were simple, enhancing her brown eyes, black hair, and snow-white flawless skin. Her dress is a simple burgundy A-line skirt with a boat neckline. Nothing fancy, just alluring.

She went out from her apartment and took the cab to take her to the museum. It was Ugen Inat's favorite one as it was closer to the restaurant that he wanted to take her after. Her heart was beating rapidly as she was about to meet the person that she met online. After some time, she got off the taxi and paid her dues to the driver. He thanked her gracefully as he left her. The museum was a perfect backdrop of romance. It was built with the imperial crown style with Western influences in architecture.

Kaori focused her attention to the man she seemed to be familiar with.

"Hello! You must be Kaori Naito." He greeted her.

"Ugen Inat! So it was you. It was such a pleasure to meet you."

He has a tousled short black hair with green eyes. His dark eyebrows were sloped upwards in an upbeat expression. His face was strong and defined. Kaori couldn't believe that he was better looking in person than in his profile picture. His picture didn't do justice as he offered her his arm and she gladly accepted it. He was wearing a polo shirt with dark jeans and black loafers.

_He was so cute! I think I hit the jackpot!_

"I think I'm excited as you are. This is my favorite museum. It has an extensive collection of Western paintings from the Renaissance to modern times. There is a particular pavilion to where they only display gothic paintings."

"Gothic? But that is scary, right?" Kaori said with doubt.

"It might be but you have to see it first and let me know after," Ugen assured.

As they both climbed the steps towards the entrance, the museum concierge welcomed them both. She reminded them that it will be the last visiting hour for today and they need to leave fifteen minutes before the end time.

"Don't worry. We won't be long." He asserted.

They walk through the way to the great hall with marbled floors, towering pillars, and magnificent ceilings. Although it was slightly darker in the atmosphere, it nevertheless fails to impress Kaori with its grand architecture. The hallway was as long as three street blocks with the main stairs right in front of them.

"We were almost there."

As they reached the mezzanine, Ugen led her to the pavilion that exclusively exhibits gothic paintings. Inside, huge artworks were hanged in every wall and occupied the whole area. It was shown with dimmer lights to create a darker effect. She also noticed that there were no visitors in sight.

"This is the painting that I want to take a long look." Ugen encouraged her.

It was a lone artwork displayed at the very end of the pavilion. It was surrounded by a gold frame with baroque designs. It was an old abandoned park with overgrown grasses, surrounded with willow trees and a small pond, reflecting a silver light coming from a full moon.

There was another strange thing happening here.

The same silver moon turned into a crimson red.

"What do you see?" Ugen asked.

Kaori was about to say something as she opened her mouth, but there were no words came through it. _I saw this before but I didn't know where_ she thought obliviously.

"What do you see?" He asked again.

This time, she was hypnotized with the painting, as if it was inviting her to touch it. She hears whispers from her ear but for some reason, it wasn't coming from Ugen. The messages were subtle and incomprehensible. She stretched her arm and wanted to touch it with her fingers.

She closed her eyes and felt like a whirlwind encircled and swept her away from the place to where she was standing.

She was gone.

He was gone.

The painting was gone.

Kaori found herself in an abandoned park that is very similar to the painting that she was observing. However, this same place is full of fear, darkness and grim, as she felt the presence of an overwhelming strong evil entity.

_ Wait a minute! Is this the same park that Mantaro has been working on?_

"You are right. Your lover was trying to solve the case that I've committed to killing. It was your turn to follow its suit." Someone thundered.

As she turned around to find the direction coming from the voice heard, she no longer saw Ugen Inat's presence but a loathsome person by the name of The Unspeakable Impaler. His obsidian knife was ever present from his hand as he drew it from its scabbard. To what she saw was the most atrocious individual that is undiscovered to man. She can see his bloodshot eyes glowing in darkness, his hair flowing without the wind and his body stood in stillness with the double-headed snake, twisting its way towards her.

Kaori wanted to run from where she was but her feet were stuck in the ground. The snake drew closer and closer to her while the impaler stood at his place, watching in delight to see her die. The serpent lunged into her, as it was too late to run away and yell for help. One head punctured her neck while the other at its heart. Its long body coiled around hers as tightly as it could from the neck down to her feet. She was resisting, trying to break free but it didn't last long. Her body grew tired and yielded its squeeze. She threw up a dark crimson with discreet metallic scent from her mouth, as the Unspeakable Impaler walk closer to her lifeless body.

*Sanguinem stillat, taciti

Fluentem sicut torrens

Potest inebriat cum humido

Potest macula, cum siccum

Cum, enim vitae

Sine eam, venit ad mortem

-To be continued-

English translation:

*Blood drips silently,

Flowing like stream.

It can soak when wet,

It can stain when dry.

With it comes life,

Without it comes death.


	8. Chapter 8 - Esotericism

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 8 – Esotericism

It's been two days since Kaori left their apartment, as Mantaro was increasingly worried about her whereabouts. _Where was she? How come she didn't let me know that she going away? _ He called her close friends one by one and all of them came with the same answers, they don't know where she was. They didn't know that she left without him. Normally, she would notify them that they've been dating, watching or singing karaoke on Friday nights.

However, not this time around at this crucial point.

Mantaro received a call from his mobile phone. It was Kensao Namio and he was talking to him in urgency. Despite not getting enough sleep for the last few days, his energy increased with exponential growth.

"Mantaro, come over to the crime scene immediately." He ordered.

"What happened?"

"The criminal strikes again. This time, it was personal."

"Hang on! I'll be right there."

Mantaro hurried went to his car and started the engine. After an hour drive, he arrived at the crime scene with police cars, homicide division units and a coroner with his medical staff. He walked to the uphill to where the body was discovered. As he approached the covered area, Kensao stopped him immediately from his tracks.

"Mantaro, I want you to remain calm and rational."

"Why? I'm always calm with these types of situations. It was part of our careers." He argued.

"I don't think you're ready for this," Kensao warned. "It was her."

"Who's her?"

"Kaori Naito." He mumbled.

"What! How did she end up as a victim?" Mantaro asked with fear.

"We don't know yet how but we will find out as soon as possible."

Mantaro was having a difficult time processing the information that she was the second victim of this unknown killer. Few days before her death, she was depressed on how his job deeply affected their relationship and how it was traveling downhill with despair in sight. He promised her that life would be better and smoother once he was elevated into the higher position.

However, that same promise will never come true ever again.

The coroner unzipped the black screen covering the crime scene, as they brought out the body bag with the corpse inside it. As they were going to the van to examine further in the laboratory, Mantaro ordered them to stop and walked slowly to her remains. His hands were dried and cold as he picked the zipper and pulled it downwards. From there, he could see her dried and unkempt hair, her cold, and colorless skin and her cloudy eyes were staring blankly.

_It was her! It was definitely her!_

He noticed that she was wearing her necklace with a small gold-plated bar. He knew it from the start because it was a birthday and an anniversary gift from him, with initials K&M. Mantaro wanted to express his sorrows as the medical staff took his deceased fiancée away. He let them go without question but it's not the right time to be in an upsetting state.

Kensao drew closer to him as he patted his shoulder and said a few words of condolences. Even his colleagues extended their thoughts and prayers on how a once happy couple changed their lives forever with this tragic event.

"I'll fight for you, Kaori. I promise that I will find this killer." He whispered in a silent air.

His partner thought carefully about what words would he wanted to bring in order to add comfort and peace to his being.

"Mantaro, you are a brave man. She was a sweet lady. All of us are one hundred percent behind you to find this relentless criminal. We have to go to the station to find out the report about her autopsy. There is no time to lose."

Indeed, there is no time to lose.

* * *

In the laboratory, Mantaro and Kensao found Kaori's cadaver was partially covered in a white body bag. The forensic scientist gave them his report and walk away to take his break. Both of them read the report and minutes later; Kensao was moving his head from side to side as if he was again disappointed with the findings.

"I really don't understand why there is no presence of DNA in her body; not even her fingers. There was no evidence of a murder committed by a person. This time, it was an animal."

"An animal? What kind?"

"Something reptilian, a python it indicated."

Mantaro observed her upper body closely; he quickly noticed that there were two punctured wounds in the neck and in her chest. It was written in the report that those same wounds were deeply pierced at the same time while the corpse was being coiled to resist breaking free. However, they knew it wasn't two snakes; it was one snake with two heads.

"Do you think this snake is a mutant? I never knew that two-headed snakes existed." He mentioned.

"It actually exists but rare and not on this bigger scale. This snake that attacked Kaori was a different species of reptiles. If there was a python with two heads, its survival rate is low and doesn't have the capacity to strangle a full grown adult."

"Unless an anaconda was present."

"Anacondas are banned in Japan because it was considered as exotic animals."

"Then, what in the world this snake came from, Kensao? Do you think this is something supernatural again?"

Kensao wanted to say 'yes' but couldn't in order not to give Mantaro a hopeless chance to capture the criminal. If his theories were correct, this unknown suspect not only knew ancient rituals and chemicals, a clean slate to get away with murder and bizarre creatures, but someone who studied and practiced occult.

His supervisor looked away from the body bag and left the laboratory with more questions than answers.

Mantaro stayed a little longer to observe what he thought he missed from the cadaver. He analyzed that her chest was punctured with large snake fangs deep enough to reach her heart. In an instinct, he took a cotton swab, dipped carefully into the wound and dropped it in a small plastic bag. He sealed it and labeled, "From punctured chest wound". He did the same in the neck area. Perhaps, these wounds would give them a clue with a little chance of hope.

* * *

Shizuru was relief that after visiting Sakyo's apartment, he approved her designs and gave her the permission to work along with his selected workers. She was in love with his new pad, not to mention the billionaire bachelor, too as she has the opportunity to collaborate with him in a month if needed.

Akane called on her mobile phone and asked how did the business lunch meeting go. She wanted to say it was the most wonderful time of her life and not minding about doing business with him all over again. Obviously, she doesn't want her to think that they're having a relationship, which it was. However, she wanted to avoid conflicting interest between Akane and Sakyo.

"Shizuru, did it turned out well?"

"Of course, it did! Everything went smoothly as he approved one of my designs. He even informed me that I have his full authorization to coordinate with his selected workers." She said proudly.

"I knew you could do it. You see, if you turned down the offer, this would be a huge loss to your career." Akane reminded her.

"I know and I would like to thank you that you gave this opportunity to me and no one else."

"So, tell me about it in full details."

Shizuru stopped for a moment and recalled the events that she was led to a private room to had lunch with Sakyo. She blushed like a schoolgirl whenever she thought about how he drank his wine without taking his blue eyes off her. It all began with the discussion of her interior designs and end up establishing a friendship with him.

"Well, nothing much. The lunch meeting was so serious and formal." She lied.

"That's what I heard from rumors roaming around. Sakyo was a type of person that would cut through the facts, very straightforward and nonchalant about his conversation. He wanted all the deals to get done in a day, if possible."

_Or so you thought._ Shizuru snickered.

"Anyway, I'm glad it was a great outcome. You've gained an important client and it added a feather in your cap."

"You forgot to mention that I have all the bragging rights." She laughed.

"You're right! I'll see you on Monday. Bye!"

"Bye!" She said as she hung up her phone.

As she was about to reach the doorknob, Aya burst out from their door as Shizuru got startled with her unexpected greeting. She pulled her arm to drag her inside and close the door, locking it.

"What was that for? You scared me."

"Come over here. I want you to watch this."

"Watch what?"

"Just be quiet. The news is about to start."

Aya clicked the TV on with the news about the unsolved crime happened most recently. The female newscaster greeted the audience from the camera as she stated the published report on prime time.

"There is another crime took place in suburban Tokyo. An unidentified female, was said to be the second victim of an unknown killer, was found dead in an abandoned park, with two pairs of snake fangs punctured in her neck and chest. It was believed that she was strangled to death before she was killed. According to homicide detectives, their findings were inconclusive and it might take quite a while to solve, as physical pieces of evidence were nowhere to be found by the forensics."

A middle-aged detective appeared on the screen, "We cannot close this case as they were a lot of open-ended questions and possibilities that led to this. The variables of solving this crime might take some time and effort to do so. We also might seek help from foreign forensics in order to solve this case the earliest time."

He identified himself as Kensao Namio, a lead detective, who also added that the first victim was found on the same spot. The difference was the way they were murdered, although the first one was harder to figure than the second one.

Aya turned off the T.V. with a slight fear in her eyes.

"What is happening to our city?"

Shizuru instantaneously had a thought in her mind that gave her some chills. She remembered the meditation session the night that Aya broke off with Kenji.

_ Remain alert at all times._

_ It needs more._

_ There's one that is stronger than yours._

_This can't be and why?_

"Shizuru. Calling Shizuru from earth. Are you okay?" Aya reminded.

"Oh, I'm okay. I felt a little dizzy after hearing that news."

"I wonder who was this killer, Shizuru. The rumors were saying that this person has extensive knowledge about the occult. Also, this person exactly knew what the police were searching for and made sure that nothing needed to be left behind once the victim is dead."

_There's one that is stronger than yours._

_ Take heed,_

_ Take heed…._

"It was inconclusive for now. We have to wait and see how the events would be turned out." Shizuru assured.

"Are you not afraid that the killer victimizes women?"

"Of course, I'm afraid. There are a lot of potential suspects out there and we have to remain at home at all times." She said sarcastically. "Perhaps, we need to implement a curfew."

"Stop it! This is a serious matter. What if the suspect has a profile at MeetUp?"

"Don't jump into conclusions, Aya. Everything was just a speculation."

"What if the killer was one of our officemates?"

"Or worst, what if the killer…."

"I think you need to shut up, Aya! You're getting too far." Shizuru warned.

She immediately left the couch and before shutting the door, she called Shizuru out. "I'm not paranoid. I'm just cautious about what was going on around us. The whole community was dealing with the person that is beyond our strengths to cease his hideous murders. Even our police enforcement cannot help themselves to solve these mysteries."

"But that's the point! It was a mystery, Aya. Perhaps they need more than just conventional solutions. Just like the chief investigator says, they will seek assistance from foreign forensics." Shizuru answered back.

Aya didn't seem to be satisfied with the outcome of her debate against her best friend. She called it rubbish as Shizuru was met with cold silence.

* * *

The mobile phone rang ceaselessly as Botan was trying to extend her hand towards the bedside lamp at the midst of darkness. _Who was this person attempting to reach me at this time? _ She was extremely tired as she unsteadily got up from the bed. She saw the electronic clock that read 11:30 p.m. She nearly missed and almost dropped the phone to the floor.

"Hello, this is Botan. I am not accepting clients at this late hour. I will try my best to get back to you tomorrow morning. Good…."

"Wait, Botan! It's me, Shizuru." Her voice was heard at the other end of the phone line.

"Come on, Shizuru. Seriously? You are calling me at the worst time of the night."

"I just can't sleep about this killer. It looked like he possessed the supernatural powers from the underworld."

Botan's energy perked up at its highest level when she heard the word 'supernatural'. Although it was way too late at this night, she has to confess to her about her own spiritual investigation that she made nights ago.

"Uhm, Shizuru. I made a decision."

"About what?"

"About conducting my own investigation. These events really affected me even though I am not entirely related to the victims. I felt like I have the moral obligation to help them in any other way. As a matter of fact, I had it written in my notebook." Botan revealed.

"Oh, do tell. Please." Shizuru begged.

Botan reached the top drawer and pulled it towards her. A yellow notebook was lying down flatly with the words in the cover, "Botan's notes." It didn't take her long to open and read the pages with a tiny flashlight from her hand.

"So the demon was classified as a higher level, which was was a double-headed snake that traveled from the underworld. This creature was closely associated with the chief of the infernal. He managed to escape to earth while the earth guards were not aware of this event."

"Wait! The earth guards are not aware of it. That's impossible! Those eight earth guards were the strongest psychics, who were appointed to watch over the crossovers." Shizuru pointed out.

"I know that but here's something interesting came out. The demon broke the barrier from external assistance." Botan countered back.

"External assistance? You mean a human helped the demon to get out from the damned."

"That's right. The earth guards did not know this because they thought they are the only ones who are capable of allowing and guarding the crossovers. But what I don't understand is that how come this human culprit has the capability of recruiting not a lower class demon but something that belongs to a higher class?" Botan said with a puzzled look in her expression.

"Maybe because he discovered some spells around and curiously chanted on its own?" She theorized with doubts.

"It wasn't that simple, Shizuru. We are dealing with the higher-class level of fiends here. My theory was that this human being has some psychic powers, too. However, I don't have a clue to how it all started. By the way, I used my astral projection to travel to the abandoned park."

"What? That's dangerous! You might not get back to your physical body."

"Don't worry. From what I saw at the park is something gruesome. I cast a spell in order to reenact the crime scene to where the first victim was killed. The double-headed snake appeared and started torturing the already tormented and broken soul."

"Oh, my!" Shizuru gasped.

Botan continued, "The broken soul begged to stop it as she screamed in pain. I immediately did and ended my investigation from there. Do you have anything to share about your own findings that heightened your senses correlated to these events?"

"I don't know if this is related but ever since Aya broke up with Kenji, I am receiving messages from my spiritual guide about an upcoming entity that was stronger and more powerful," Shizuru recalled.

"And?"

"From there, it warned me that always be alert at all times, there is someone who was stronger than me and take heed of the warnings."

"Anything else?" Botan asked.

"Another bizarre message that I received is that there is a shining one who will show us the way. If I forge my powers with him, we will defeat the challenges, although it has to be done as early as possible for time is running out."

"Hmmm, something's not right with that message. My instincts were telling me that this message was from someone who was close to your heart." Botan disclosed.

Shizuru wanted to slap her head as she remembered that specific message was for Sakyo only. It was the time that she asked her spiritual guide to whom he was when she wanted to know more about him. She accidentally spilled out some beans that made her retract those words.

"Maybe my spiritual guide made a mistake." She lied to cover up her blunder.

"Well, if your spiritual guide warned you about this evil entity, then we have to be prepared for what is worst to come," Botan advised.

"Like what?"

"We can meet each other and have meditation sessions together. I think that is a wonderful idea. In that way, I can communicate with your guide on how she perceived things from the lower world."

_There is a great need. I, alone, can supply all the information that you require._

"Uhm, my guide just spoke to me and she said that there's a great need. She can supply the information to whatever we wanted to ask her." Shizuru informed.

"Oh! If that is the case, then so be it. We can do it when you have a free time. You can also come over here when I am done conducting sessions with my clients."

"That would be great! I'll see you soon, Botan. Thanks for answering my call at this late night."

"That's okay. We badly needed it. These victims need our help and we are morally obliged to exercise our psychic powers for the greater good."

_I second to that, Botan. It is for the greater good. _Shizuru agreed.

-To be continued-


	9. Chapter 9 - Have You Heard The News?

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 9 – Have You Heard The News?

In the past few days, Shizuru would typically appear casually calm and relaxed, checked her to-do list for today, planned ahead of time, discussed ideas with her co-workers and would end her day whether the outcome was in her favor or not. However, things came out unexpectedly as some of her coworkers noticed something very peculiar about everything.

The way she walked towards her cubicle was similar to a model striding in a runway show. The strut, timing, the manner her arms swayed, the bounce in her hair and the hip movements made some of her male colleagues took a second look and stare to her lower body. Female colleagues have their eyebrows raised when she said good morning to all of them, which they all knew that there were selective people that she would normally do that. Lastly, in as much as she argued with her supervisor plenty of times, this time around, she would either agree with her or add some suggestions that would make them both agree.

Today was different as she glowed from the inside out. The smile that cracked her face hadn't been seen since time has forgotten and she moved faster, ate faster and finished her projects faster. She just had a good feeling about the day; nothing that felt this right could possibly go wrong. It just couldn't.

"I heard that she hit the jackpot."

"No, that's not true. I heard that she made an amazing project to a billionaire client."

"Really? Who?"

"They didn't reveal the name. I heard he purchased an apartment in a posh area of Tokyo."

"I also heard that Ms. Akane gave that project exclusively to her."

"I heard that she was rewarded handsomely for that."

"I heard that someday, Akane will appoint her as her next successor."

Shizuru couldn't help but smile and slightly dismissed some rumors in her mind as she passed by without turning her head. Though someone made a comment correctly about the "billionaire's important project," she preferred to hide it under her grin.

"Well, well, well. Where did you get that energy, Shizuru?" Akane asked with a big smirked on her face.

"Akane, I don't want to be boastful but I think everyone knew what was all about." She shrugged.

"Oh, so the top earner of this company chooses to remain humble for a moment."

"Let's just say that modesty became my best friend for today."

Both women laughed uncontrollably as Akane shook her head, stated that she expected Shizuru to keep up the rate of the company's productivity. The latter assured her supervisor that it would be her primary goal to gather more important clients so that they can attract potential employees and future clients. In that way, her fellow associates would follow the same route.

Shizuru sat in her chair and began to settle her sketches, pictures, colored pencils, and her Ipad at the top of her table. Things come in handy with her electronic pad since she doesn't have to use the desktop all the time, though the latter was still important to her.

Something entered her mind that would make her pull the top drawer in her desk. _I must have forgotten my sharpener but I knew I had it in me here_, she wondered. As she did so, she didn't anticipate to what was she's going to find in her drawer.

It was a tiny piece of a beautifully wrapped black flat object with a gold ribbon on the top.

Black and gold.

Shizuru felt a sudden rush of blood in her head as those colors signified that there is only one person who would do that to her. However, she asked herself how and when he managed to slip it in her drawer.

Sakyo.

She held her head up high and looked both ways of the direction, making sure that there's no one around, who would catch her in the middle of an awkward act. She immediately took and hid it under the table to unwrap the tiny token.

Shizuru looked down in her lap and found inside that, it was a business card coming from him, with a little side note written:

_Call me if you have time._

She gazed at the clock as it read 10:45 am. _Should I wait to pass by or should I call him promptly_?

Knowing Sakyo, at this point, was too early to say to what was he was trying to convey to her. Will he give her another project to work with or maybe he has a colleague that he would like to refer to her. She took a long look at the business card and maybe she'll pretend that there's another client that is interested in her works.

She picked up the phone and dialed the corresponding mobile number. She kept telling herself that everything was fine and treated everything as a business matter. Do not mix it with pleasure, whatever happens.

Her hands began to sweat as her nerves are wiring with excitement and tension. She could also tell that the phone she was holding was shaking uncontrollably, praying that anyone would not notice it.

Finally, Sakyo answered the call at the other end of the line.

"I knew you would call me." He said instinctively.

"Hello, I found your business card in my drawer. Is there anything I can do to help you?" She asked cautiously, as she doesn't want to mention his name in public.

"Ha, ha! Yes, of course! I need your help. I would like you to meet me in my car later today, five blocks on the left side from your building " Sakyo expressed his intention.

Shizuru gulped her saliva, thinking that he would like to meet her in his car. She doesn't want anyone to be seen with him. Her colleagues knew already about the mysterious billionaire client but don't have the exact idea who. She doesn't want to blow up his identity.

"Very well. What time do you want me to see you? What is your plate number?" She whispered.

"Four o' clock will be fine. As for my plate number, it is 22-04. I highly expect you to be there." Sakyo informed her as he hung up the phone.

He never gave her a chance to hear his explanation but perhaps he was saving it the best for last.

* * *

If coming out from the office building denoted as an excitement especially on weekdays would be comparable to a frog leaping out to freedom from the open-top box. Shizuru felt the exhilaration of meeting him once again. She doesn't mind skipping the steps as she nearly took a misstep. She grabbed the stair rails immediately to avoid the embarrassing stumble. No sight of her officemates was around despite the work hours are over. It was indeed a miracle for her.

She turned left of her direction and walked five blocks as instructed by Sakyo. Parking is a challenge here since urban cities are jam-packed with cars, trucks and no parking zones. She knew he paid the parking meter since there's a certain time allotted without penalties.

She saw the car with the plate number 22-04 from afar. She could tell from the distance that it was a black Aston Martin coupe. _This man knows the meaning of luxury_, she thought. Her legs began to wobble as she could see his silhouette despite the dark tinted windows in his car.

She knocked twice at the window as he opened the passenger door for her. She got in and gently closed the door, thinking she doesn't want to ruin his car. As she saw him in the driver's seat, he was wearing a classic black tuxedo suit with a bowtie.

"Thank you for accepting my invitation. Tonight will be an exciting time of our lives."

"What invitation? Is this a date?" She queried.

"Yes, it's a date."

"You should have told me it's going to be a date. I should have gone home and prepared myself." Shizuru protested.

"There's no need to. I don't like waiting at your home because I got better ideas. To tell you what, let's go to a ladies' boutique that I already set up an arrangement for you." Sakyo informed her.

_ He arranged an appointment just for me. Why would he do that?_

Sakyo turned on the keys and rolled away to their destination.

* * *

They both entered the ladies' boutique as Shizuru noticed something different inside the store. They are the only people around except a few personnel in their uniforms. The ladies bowed to them in respect as one of them notified her that she would be the sole customer for today. She has the option of choosing a dress appropriate for the occasion. Sakyo told them they would go to an opera for the night. She was led to a private room with an in-house make-up artist and hairstylist waiting for her.

Shizuru's eyes dazzled with wonder as beautiful dresses were lined up in front of her as she was given an option to try one at a time and select which one she likes. She felt like a princess ready to attend a grand and royal ball.

After an hour of putting the dresses on, styling her hair and applying some make-up, she came out from the private room to reveal herself to Sakyo. Upon seeing her, he stood up in amazement and wondered as he made a comment that would send her to heaven.

"You are extremely alluring. You are a different person. Elegant, flawless and magical." He said with a deep tone in his voice.

Shizuru looked herself at the full-length mirror. He was right; she does look like a different person with elegance. She chose and wore a gown with a cobalt blue, studded with Swarovski crystals, with a heart-shaped neckline and off-shoulder straps. A slit from above her knees goes all the way down to the skirt line unveiled her perfect legs. She also wore silver stilettos that were three inches in height. Her hair was neatly straightened with a make up that enhanced her natural beauty.

"What about my work clothes? Should I…." she babbled but discontinued her sentenced.

Sakyo grinned upon hearing that if her work clothes should be left behind. "You don't have to worry about everything. They will properly pack it for you and you can leave it in my car. All you need to worry now is to come with me."

He offered his arm, giving her a signal that they should go and attend the opera. She walked to him slowly as she was not used to having stilettos on her feet. _When was the last time I wore high-heeled shoes? It must be my graduation day. _She thought with embarrassment.

"You look absolutely perfect." He complimented her one more time, as he got closer to kiss her on the cheek.

Shizuru didn't know what to do whether she would faint or just stand still like a frozen snowman in the middle of winter weather. That kiss was fleeting but meant a lot to her. His lips were slightly damped but soft and smooth. She could smell his musky perfume coming from his neck. It wasn't overpowering but certainly captivating.

They stride out together to reach for his car. He opened the door for her as she thanked him for doing that. He shut the door and walked towards the other side of the car to get in the driver's seat. Suddenly, a flash of light bulbs met their eyes as they hurriedly covered their faces.

"It must be the paparazzi," Shizuru noted.

"Yes, they are. They were following me for quite some time. They are really nosy about my love life." He told her with a slight annoyance coming from them.

He swiftly turned on the keys while he bowed his head so that they will have no picture of him in full face. She tried her best to do the same thing, hoping that they would never get a good picture of her, too. She doesn't want to end up in the gossip section of magazines. He drove his wheels and cruised away while they still took snaps from their cameras.

"I apologized for that. I didn't mean to get you in the spotlight. That is the reason why I never gave away my identity when I sought assistance from your company. I knew they would follow me constantly." Sakyo told her.

Shizuru didn't say any word but understood his dilemma. It was really uncomfortable for her since she never knew that he was being chased by paparazzi. She couldn't even blame him because he was the billionaire bachelor.

"Don't worry. Tonight will be just the two of us." He said as he held her hand tightly.

* * *

The opera house was located near Tokyo Bay with a dazzling sunset view. The sun was illuminated with bright orange and yellow hues as the skies were colored with purple and pink shades. It almost looked like an oil painting done by the greatest artist known to man.

They stepped out from the car as Sakyo handed his keys to the valet. He extended his arm to her. She gladly slipped hers into his as they climbed the crimson covered stair carpet. Shizuru enjoyed every moment with him along with the backdrop of important people around them. She could tell that most of his associates were fellow billionaire businessmen. Sakyo spoke a few words of greeting, smiled and engaged a conversation about the economy. They greeted the innocent lady with a smile and a few handshakes. He introduced her as his partner.

_ When did I become his partner? _

Shizuru just shrugged off the notion as the crowd went inside the theater house. The opera would start at around seven. Sakyo whispered in her ear that would make her hair raised but softly giggled his humor.

As they entered the auditorium, she was mesmerized by the sheer size of it with grandeur decorations around. The stage was draped with gold velvet curtains with tassels on it. Gold was painted everywhere with the sumptuous red upholstery dominated the theater. She gazed above the ceiling and noticed it was painted with oil, similar to the Renaissance era. The hall was twenty-eight meters long and twenty-two meters wide, with private boxes including those of proscenium arranged in six orders, plus a royal box capable of accommodating at least ten people. Including standing room, the theatre could hold over three thousand people.

Sakyo let her take a seat as he helped her managed her long gown. She expressed her gratitude while he took his own seat right beside hers. He extended his hand to grab her and pull it towards the middle. He lifted it up just to kiss it, showering her with small but meaningful affections.

The theater dimmed the lights as the opera was about start. Shizuru paid close attention when the curtains were elevated with the actors began to sing their lines.

This is the night that she will never forget.

* * *

Sakyo observed Shizuru's beaming face after the opera show. He was extremely pleased that she enjoyed it despite lasting for three hours with a thirty-minute rest break. He told her that they would dine in a restaurant when his phone began ringing. His car was connected with his phone, granting him his hands-on wheels only. He tapped the telephone application sign and began talking.

"Mr. Sakyo, the restaurant that you made a reservation was set as you have requested. However, we noticed that there were some paparazzi waiting for you outside. We tried to divert them away but they kept returning. I believe we were surrounded."

"If that is the case, I would cancel my reservation. For some reason, they knew that I was going there."

"We would cancel your reservation right away. We apologize for the inconvenience. Perhaps, they won't be here the next time around."

He tapped the application for the second time as he started to think about where the next best place for him and Shizuru to dine privately.

"I think I know where we're going but it maybe not the best for you. We are going to my apartment." Sakyo advised her.

The series of fortunate events happened simultaneously for her. Perhaps, lady luck was rubbing her shoulders with her with a benevolent smile on her face. First, meeting him in his car; second, he bought her a dress to wear for the occasion and third, they are spending some time in his apartment. Who couldn't say no to that? The drive was easy and quick, as he knew where to take the road to avoid the traffic. His car landed to the lower level of the parking lot; they got off at the same time and took the elevator that would lead to his apartment.

Once they entered to his pad, Shizuru felt proud of her design, as it was appropriate for a man who would exemplify elegance and simplicity. It was sleek and clean; decorated with fine leather couches and modern mahogany wood center table. Gold trims sparkled that added luxury lines and recessed lights were complimented the room overall.

She took off her shoes quickly with ease; her ankles hurt so bad that she was limping. She asked Sakyo if she can change her work clothes in his bathroom.

"Do you want to go home? I have an extra room that you can sleepover. More so, I have some extra clean clothes that you can wear." He suggested to her as he started to remove his suit and bowtie.

He was right. It left her no choice but to stay with him even for a night.

"I hope you won't mind if I call my best friend. She might be waiting for me at home. She doesn't know that I'm here."

"Go ahead. Do as you please." He allowed her.

She picked up her phone and dialed Aya's number in a rush. _What would I say to her? Should I say I stayed to one of my colleague's house because we're working on a design project? _She doesn't want to lie but she has to at this point since agonizing her whereabouts was the last thing on her mind.

"Hello, this is Aya's speaking."

"Aya, it's me, Shizuru. I can't come home tonight. I'm spending a night with my colleague…."

She sensed a hot breath on her neck, then a tender brush of lips implanted next. A hand ran through her hair, as the kisses became harder and more urgent. Another hand slides around her waist as pulled her close to his body.

She forgot to end her sentence, as her rational thinking was lost.

"Are you still there?"

He turned her around, facing him with those same deep colored blue eyes that fixated on her. He was still in his dress shirt but all were unbuttoned, revealing his muscular frame. Her sexual instincts heightened by the sight of his body alone. She ran her fingers through his strong chest. He knew that once kisses were performed, her resistance would crumble.

"Shizuru, what's going on?"

He took the phone from her as he hung it up and tossed it aside. She didn't protest his actions. He brushed her hair from her shoulder and moved in so close she felt his body pressed up against her. He kissed her lips; it was hot, fiery, passionate and demanding. She wanted to pull away before she freed herself but she couldn't seem to. In a moment, her senses have been seduced and she could no longer think straight. "Shizuru," he whispered slowly, prolonging each letter as if to savor them.

Her body surrendered to his fervent demands as they made love through the night.

-To be continued-


	10. Chapter 10 - Blood Moon III

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 10 – Blood Moon III

"Aya, it's me, Shizuru. I can't come home tonight. I'm spending a night with my colleague…."

The phone went dead after a few exchanges of conversation.

Some nerve that she has when she didn't manage to finish her sentence and hung it up in the middle of it. _That's Shizuru when she's in a panic mode. Maybe the deadlines were getting in her brain as the pressure mounts to the boiling point, _Aya theorized. That meant she would be alone in their apartment without waiting for her to come home.

Aya hastened her pace to lock the main door and switched off the lights. This is the perfect opportunity to resume her research. It was all about the mysterious murderer lurking around the city. Ever since that news erupted in television screen and mobile news apps, people were reeled with the fact that this killer was still on the loose without any objective pieces of evidence found nearby the crime scene. She closed the bedroom door gently with a bedside lamp on.

She took the envelope hidden in her closet and unfastened the string. She instantly spread the articles in her bed that was related to the murderer. She tried to connect the dots to make sense in general. Although she's not a detective herself but the problem remained in her head that continuously knock on her conscience.

An article was written about a prostitute, the first victim killed in an abandoned park. She was found in skeletal remains that puzzled the forensics and even the witness herself. The female witness initially found her in corpse but cannot be determined on why the skeleton was the only thing left. The second victim was said to be the detective's fiancée, was found with fangs visible in her neck and chest. Again, no clues were found and both cases were still ongoing.

All articles remain almost the same except for the pictures taken in each newspaper. One newspaper has an abandoned park shot overhead. Another one was the female jogger who happened to witness the remains. Another print has a picture of both victims before their tragic deaths.

Two females.

One abandoned park.

Both were massacred mercilessly.

Both pieces of evidence were almost non-existent.

The killer was still at large.

Aya kept reading the articles but not much of sufficient information supplied her inquisitive mind. The series of questions came into her nonstop while she was having a difficult time answering them on her own.

However, both of them have a certain commonality…the abandoned park.

What does that abandoned park has to do with the killings?

There must be something about it that might have the minimum chance of finding the evidence.

Aya's has her eureka moment as her spirit surged with curiosity. The location made sense since it was far reached from the city and no people would go there unless someone went there by chance, which happened to be a jogger. It was a perfect scene for the murderer since he has the time to clean the proofs that he left behind.

The only thing that validates her theory is to get there alone.

Tonight is the right time to do.

She grabbed her backpack underneath her bed; supplied with a flashlight, a charger, gloves, night vision binoculars, penknife, her mobile phone, a panic alarm, pen and a notebook. She donned her street outfit along with her bubble jacket and a beanie hat.

She got outside of their apartment and hailed a lone taxi nearby. As she rode along, she informed him that she would like to get into the abandoned park. Upon hearing this, the driver disapproved, "Is that the same forbidden park to where the killings took place? I cannot take you there since it was a restricted area."

"Don't worry, sir. I am a detective, too." She said as she presented a fake police badge to him.

He nodded in agreement, although he wasn't sure about her request. Why a lonely female detective would set the investigation alone at this point in time? She must be crazy but if it meant to solve the murders, he wouldn't meddle.

After an hour drive, she got off the taxi and paid the driver in generous amount. He thanked her as he advised her to be careful. "Call a backup. You will never know what you will find there."

She made a slight smile as the taxicab drove away from her sight. Soon, it was gone and Aya set her sights up in the hill. She climbed tirelessly, using the overgrown grasses as her anchor to scale. It was a lonely and almost a silent night with few whistles coming from the crickets.

She noticed the crimson-colored moon shining brightly against the sharp contrast of nighttime. It was only freckled with a few stars hanging in the sky. Darkness was surrounded by everything. It consumed everything in its path. It didn't give the traveler the chance to relief the unfamiliar road. The only sound she could hear are the footsteps of marshland and crunching gravel that echoed in her ears.

Finally, she arrived at the abandoned park with the stillness of the lake. The reflection of blood moon mirrored flawlessly as if the moon has a twin.

Or is it.

Aya noticed the lake glowing in red color. Is there a light beneath the lake? She doubted the thought as she minded her steps to get closer. She hid behind the lush tall grasses as something unusual is happening. The red glow was growing wider and getting intense. An alien figure was coming out from the portal. No, it wasn't an alien but it was a demon.

She pulled the night vision binoculars from her backpack as she adjusted the settings. She witnessed that the same demon divided itself into two figures. It was a demon and a human being. She couldn't figure in her rational mind on why they emerged from the lake while one did not drown from the water. Could it be the lake has a mystical element that existed for a long time and went undiscovered until now?

"Perhaps your nosiness will undeniably end your life here." An entity hissed.

Aya turned her head behind, finding a double-headed snake talking to her in plain language.

* * *

Evil has something to do with all the killings which entities and human beings collaborated in the name of chaos, violence, and death. They've seen the world rise and fall with good versus evil. Civilizations could come and go as time went by but the battle for morality will last as long as the human lives. Some ignore all moral compasses that suppose to align themselves with the higher being. Some people were born good, with the will to fight off the bad. Some people are born bad and become good through great effort. Others are born in light and fall to darkness. And others are born in darkness and cannot see the light.

A perfect example with the fallen entity, which hated the Supreme Being so much that swore in its mind, will destroy everything that the higher good created. Jealousy and anger dominated his domain as his minions were wickedly following his philosophy of destruction.

A human being with horrid intentions was his ideal vehicle to crossover earth and attains his desires to ruin morality. Once it was addressed, everything that has built will soon fall into the ground.

The supernatural adversary, in the most appalling and unwitting bondage, has made the world deceived through lies, blinded their minds, masqueraded in costumes of lights and righteousness, signs of wonders, temptations, eradicating hope, creating pestilence and the most gruesome sin embedded to mankind was committing murder.

The Unspeakable Impaler and the double-headed snake, Ugen Inat, have a common relationship of witnessing the ruination of bodies and souls with the binded contract with the devil. The soot-covered paper was hanging in midair to remind them that the work was far from over.

"Your creativity in murdering those women enthralled me." The devil spoke vilely.

"It was a gentle touch of breeze once I captured their weaknesses in their hearts, minds and souls. It was an easy prey. Although the powers that you have given me were absolute." The Unspeakable Impaler confessed.

"It was also your charm that has them made fallen for you…for death and not for love." Ugen Inat added.

"What do you think will be the next step? What are your plans?"

"My plans are your plans from the start of creation is to witness the chaos that I've been wanting to happen. I shall continue to collect souls for you as many as I could."

"Possibly the next soul coming in our sacred place has unwittingly would like to be delivered." Ugen Inat prophesized.

The Unspeakable Impaler saw a vision in his mind that an ignorant female has come across to the forsaken park to where she wanted to probe herself about the obscure murders. It was indeed foolish on why a simple-minded individual would risk herself in doing so whereas the professionals even couldn't do themselves. She might have the maps to discover about the site.

"Oh, an innocent soul, too. I can smell and ready to devour her." Ugen Inat's reptilian body coiled with impatience.

"Let us handle this. I don't sense any psychic powers from her. She is no threat but her innocence is so addictive."

"So be it. I'm not stopping you." The devil permitted.

The Unspeakable Impaler and Ugen Inat ascended from below with the mysterious smoke, enclosed them to invincibility. The impaler has other ideas as he split himself into two and coordinated with it that the reptile should sneak behind her. The creature agreed in delight as it disappeared, ready to execute its plans.

He and his fake twin emerged from the lake as he could see from miles away about the unsuspecting woman hid behind the lush grass. Fate would come in a matter of time as he stood still, absorbing her aura to know exactly who was she. From his interpretations, it was revealed that her name was Aya Matsui. She has a best friend by the name of Shizuru Kuwabara that caught his interest further.

Her companion was said to possess psychic abilities, which can communicate with the dead and her spiritual guide. She can predict accurately about the people's auras just by looking at the person's eyes. As a matter of fact, she was able to do so successfully when she tried to access her savior's background.

If Shizuru Kuwabara was in her place, instead of Aya, the impaler would know that there would be a battle of unseen forces. He also predicted that once they're engaged in the spiritual war, there would be a never-ending exchange of bloodshed. However, she was not ready to face him, as her craft was powerful but unhoned.

From the distance, the impaler could hear her screams that echoed the darkening night. The Impaler simply floated from the ground and drew his obsidian blade, preparing to kill.

The cold look reflected on his face as another night of evil was occurring again. His heart was made of stone and his soul lifeless, the way he brutally killed his victims in the past. He has no sense of humanity knowing that Aya was no different from the rest. She was just an added bonus since he doesn't have to select and seduce his would-be sufferers.

He was a torturer from the beginning and has to hide his penchant for causing pain. Piercing screams from afar continue to echo as he couldn't help but gave a great grin on his face. He could imagine about the sight of blood, flesh and bones as it excites him more. It was his addictive rush. It was his drug. Murder was his form of self-medication.

* * *

"Get away from me!" Aya yelled while holding a piece of wooden branch, ready to whack the snake in their heads.

"Silly girl! Do you think that branch would kill me instantly? I am not your ordinary reptile that existed in this earth."

Aya's thoughts were on the creature and Shizuru. It would be a great fatal mistake in her part if she took her along in this forbidden site of murders. She could have brought a gun but the only weapon that she could wield upon was a penknife.

It may not be enough to suppress the snake but it would delay her upcoming fate. The pitiful idea of being on the front page of the newspaper occupied her mind. What would Shizuru do with it? What will be her reaction? What her parents will think if her face would flash in their television screens as headlines?

"Mom," she whispered as Aya wept until the fount of tears dried. She repeatedly swung the knife unto the creature with one hand and flung the branch on the other. She hit and missed the snake but nevertheless, was alive and slithering back and forth, waiting for the right time.

"Surrender to us and we will give you a painless pain of death."

Aya met the heavily cloaked stranger as she turned her head to follow the evil voice. She was shocked to meet the murderer right in front of her as she witnesses the vile human being for the first time. _So, this is the unfathomable killer that the police were having a difficult time capturing him._

"You need to stop this nonsense, Aya. You should have stayed home for Shizuru's sake." The Impaler said with a piece of insincere advice.

"How do you know about her? Stay away from her!" She warned and was surprised about his knowledge of her best friend's name.

"It's not the question of ordering us to stay away from her, Aya. Who came here in the first place to search for the missing links that the police were having a hard time gathering it? It was all you." He said, making her guilty of her conscience.

Aya knew he was playing maliciously with this psychological game. Yes, it was her fault but never realized that she was dealing with a person with mystical powers that are beyond reprehensible to anyone who's rational.

The gloom in her surroundings was inevitable, felt like it was a dry winter temperature that crept into her skin. What she needed would never come and no matter how much she seeks would never find it. An aid was so far away and hope has neglected her. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare but couldn't because she was living with it. She wanted to escape but no doors were present despite being on the outside. She wanted to yell but who would hear her desperation?

"I want to spare you, Aya but your soul was begging to be delivered below." The Impaler said.

"Delivered? Have your soul delivered already?" She accused him.

"My soul was sealed and done. What the master seeks from below is more of yours. You may not be the last as the one you knew was more highly prized to capture it." The Impaler divulged his plan.

"You will never steal Shizuru's soul. She is a strong woman with strong psychic powers. She will defeat you." Aya claimed.

"Indeed! Hers was so great that she can defeat me if it wasn't for the powers given from below. If I have one for myself, she will still conquer me. The only way to do so is to execute you so that she will be vulnerable. What made you come here, anyway? Do you think you could find the clues in one night?" He quizzed her motives.

"I came here to search for answers. The questions of those women that you've villainously slaughter them without mercy, I wanted you to be held accountable."

"Accountable? You don't know what is happening in their minds. They are miserable to live in their delusional lives. Both women were seeking happiness that they're fully aware that they cannot attain. In addition, both were met with peaceful deaths."

"Liar! Both of them did not die peacefully. They fought to live…"

"They fought to live because death was unexpected. If you could only get the glimpse of their souls, you will have their sympathy. They are crying and wanting to be free from their trapped bodies."

Aya heard enough of the killer's corrupted excuses of his sickening murders. She threw the wooden branch one more time as Ugen Inat's hissed uncontrollably.

"My, oh my! I lost interest in this woman. I should leave you alone with her."

"I've lost my interest, too. I shall let you go. Again, it was because for your best friend's sake of sanity." The Impaler spoke softly.

Aya was suspicious about their motives but decided to turn and run away as far as she could. The distance was all that mattered, anyhow. She wasn't stopping for anything and surely she would mobilize her legs to do so. Her eyes were fixated into the main road downhill, panting every breath from her lungs just to get herself to safety. The grass rustled and the rough stones stepped upon were the only sounds that gave her hope…hope to be alive and well.

She was a few feet away from the main road when she spotted a medium-sized truck passing along. She waved her hands high up in the air, anticipating that the driver would hear her cries.

"Help! I need help over here." She yelled.

The truck driver was not paying attention just because he was listening to the music on his headphones. He missed her as it reflected on the side mirrors. He continued to hum and drove away without any care in the world.

Aya felt the sudden stab at her back and cracked her spine. The spread of poison absorbed by her body swiftly. The obsidian blade made through her as blood seeped through the open wound, through her clothes, stained freshly and dripping slowly but painfully. Her knees buckled as she fell into the ground; struggled to crawl but to whom she'll get help? The driver ignored her unknowingly and there was no flow of traffic coming along in this road. The dawn was hours away from sunrise as the precious time was wasted for her death. She was losing her consciousness as her eyes began to close, her vision blurred and her breathing shallow. She wanted to see tomorrow but couldn't hold as much as she wanted to. She felt like a fallen prey in this utter black.

"Shizuru, I'm sorry." She whispered her name to her last breath.

-To be continued-


	11. Chapter 11 - A Desperate Cry For Help

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 11 – A Desperate Cry For Help

The morning was indeed glorious when Shizuru woke up from layers of luxurious fine linen bed sheets and high-quality sumptuous blanket. A whole-body stretch reminded her that she should take it slow for today. There's no need to rush to get up, take a bath, get dress and eat. All she could do was to be lazy on a beautiful day. A sun brightly shone over the apartment windows with brilliant rays of light. Sights of Tokyo skylines were unmatched and not to mention her midcentury modern designs made her feel at home. If she could only be a domesticated cat, she could have laid down to the rug and nap all day.

"Good morning, Miss Shizuru. Mr. Sakyo left early today because he has an important business meeting to attend." A male butler informed her while standing near the door.

She instantly covered herself with a blanket, quickly realizing that she was naked. The intimacy made her stress disappeared completely from her system. Surprising was the fact that she woke without headaches, muscle tensions, no pain in her back and had a great sleep through the night.

"Uhm…I think I'm fine at this point, sir. I can manage myself. Please give me some privacy for a moment." She requested.

"Very well, ma'am." He said as he left.

_Goodness! How long was he standing in there? I was deeply sleeping and I'm fucking naked_, she thought furiously but immediately forgiven him since he might not know what happened last night.

That night was unplanned when she had a sudden flash of images of kissing, touching, arousals, moaning and forbidden desires. From there on, passion took over and released her animalistic nature. She became intoxicated of his love with those memories permanently implanted in her brain and couldn't get out of it. Sakyo knew how to work his charms and where to trigger her body. Those deep blue eyes of his were sinister but she loved it. She loved being in his submission without question.

She snapped herself, noting that she was daydreaming. Her work clothes were neatly placed at the top of an upholstered storage bench. It was thoughtful of him since she doesn't have to worry or ask him where to find it.

Shizuru hurriedly donned her clothes and combed her hair, making sure that nothing obvious happened on that steamy night. She inhaled deeply breathing in and out for about three times and ready to walk out from his bedroom. She found Sakyo's butler waiting for her in the dining area with her breakfast ready. He greeted her in a professional way.

She has to accept since nothing could be found anyway in her apartment. Why not take advantage of whatever's available to her? At least, it's free and bountiful. She sat in the chair as the butler adjusted it for her, making sure that she's not too close or too far from the table. He poured a jug of orange juice into her glass and clicked the TV for her.

The morning news beamed right away in the screen with the headline that she was not prepared to watch.

"Good morning! Today is the nine o' clock news with the report that there's another victim found within distance from an abandoned park. The victim was said to be in her early thirties. An eyewitness, a taxi driver, has informed the police that it was identified as Aya Matsui. The body was found a few feet away from the road with a stab wound in her back. However, authorities said that this woman must have traveled first to the restricted park."

_What? Did he say Aya Matsui?_

"I took her in my taxi and asked me if I could take her here. I initially refused but she showed me her badge. I did my job at that time and I knew something was wrong. If only I knew that it was fake."

_Fake badge? Where did she get it?_

"I sincerely apologize to her family. I feel that I am responsible for her death. I ask for your forgiveness." He said apologetically while bowing in front of the cameras.

_ She's dead!_

_ Truly dead!_

Shizuru's head was spinning uncontrollably as she felt the urge to go to the site right away. The butler noticed her bizarre behavior with her once stable mood dissolved on her. It was only too late that she realized the power of words came out from the television mentioning her name over again. From the broadcaster, the eyewitness and the detectives, Kensao Namio and Mantaro Isa, as their faces and expressions showed it all. They remained calm but uncertain if ever they would gather any substantial results. They hoped that this time, something concrete evidence should be found.

Her vision got darken, never realizing that the butler, the TV screen, the meal were gone. It completely struck her like a tank at a child's building blocks, never came to register the imbalance that existed; she was shocked at the outcome and the devastation. It shook to the most inner core of her.

She began to cry softly, wetting her own face. She wanted to cry aloud like a child who lost her mother, beaten down with a feeling of sorrow. Her grief took over, engulfed and overwhelmed like an ocean. She was lost in time and to where would she find a light at this madness? There would be no relief, comfort and peace that greatly refused her at this crucial time.

Her psychic senses got exposed to the lower levels of the underworld. She could clearly hear the monsters laughing and playing at her vulnerable head and heart. Shizuru could also hear their whispers of suicidal thoughts for she knew she should not succumb to their vile demands.

_Kill yourself! Join her!_

_She's gone forever!_

_Through this pain, you will learn_

_That this will be your crying shame._

_You failed to protect her!_

_That loving promise_

_Is meaningless!_

_She's wailing and wailing,_

_Shizuru, Shizuru, Shizuru!_

_With an outstretch arms,_

_But she was falling, falling, falling_

_To drag her at our hopeless domain,_

_She is one of us now!_

* * *

Mantaro Isa had an instant painful reminder of his fiancée's death as it transpired again. A woman, who unmindfully thought of the consequences, traveled to the forbidden site. Other personnel gathered her personal belongings and stuffed them in a plastic bag, labeled "To analyze." He wrote possible theories on Aya's tracks and her reasons. Why would she present a fake badge just to take her here? What did she know about this elusive murderer? How did she know he was there at the same time the murderer found out late that she was also there? Why would she risk herself into something that no one should ever take? Did she plan to take the life of a murderer herself as revenge? Was she related to past victims?

The questions ran in his head endlessly and it almost drove him mad that he punched his hand to the car door. Kensao heard a bang, thinking it might be a tire blown out but it turned out that his partner has lost control of himself. He came closer to him as he noticed a dent with some blood spots on it.

"Mantaro, I understand what you've…"

"How many lives that we have to witness these senseless murders of these women?" He said with a resentful tone in his voice.

"You need to understand that this victim came at her own initiation. It was the murderer's doing and he ended it."

"I can't stand the fact that we've been probing for weeks without any important outcomes."

"I don't understand either but that's not the reason to give up. Our job is to protect innocent civilians especially women, children and the elderly. It was a hard job but somebody's got to do it." Kensao reminded him.

"Unfortunately, we're not doing enough!" Mantaro answered back.

"I know that you haven't fully recovered from Kaori's death and it was an instant flashback of what it was. Please keep in mind that you have to separate what was personal and what was part of work."

"It was easy for you to say."

"Believe me, it wasn't easy at all. I was once a victim, too. Do you know why I became a detective?" Kensao asked.

Mantaro turned at his senior partner with a subtle look at his face. He never heard of him or revealed why he was so. He worked with Kensao for only five years and it felt like he has known him for only five days. Both men step aside in one area so that no one would hear them.

"My wife died with multiple gunshots in a convenience store late at night. We were married only for three years at that time. We have a son and an unborn child. As you can see, it was a multiple homicides. The suspect killed three lives. I was like you…young, immature and angry about the events happened. I questioned everything even God on why my wife died in a violent way. What is the worst was that she died with our children. Why did he take three? Did they do something so vile in their past lives that it was rightfully materialized then? Why would he harm especially an unborn child? I became a victim of indirect circumstances and never understood those things. I secluded myself from the rest of the world for three months. I was at home shell-shocked and not interacting with the people especially my parents."

Kensao stopped for a moment, as he was emotionally vulnerable recounting his past. He tried to stop his tears falling from his eyes but couldn't help to dig his hand to his pocket to reach for his handkerchief.

"I never understood things until I became a detective. When I was at the police-training academy, we studied how criminal minds work with their motives, how they select their victims and scrutinize them during interrogation. It even reached up to one point that we sometimes use physical violence just to extract some truths from their minds. From then on, I slightly understood but needed experience just to gain deeper learning." He continued.

"Over the years, I met a lot of victims who cry the same desperation as I am. In addition, they asked me the same questions that I've inquired before. Why was this and why was that? The whys, whats, and hows are common and I couldn't offer much advice except searching for the assailants to bring justice to the families, as those were my answers. I succeeded and failed but it took me years to comprehend and I discovered its purpose."

"What is the purpose?" Mantaro asked curiously.

"The purpose of defeating evil with good." Kensao simply implied.

"That's it?"

"It wasn't 'that's it.' It doesn't stop there. We live and die on this planet, Mantaro but one thing that remains was the cycle of common dichotomy. Evil reigned but good prevailed. The criminals escaped but apprehended upon their judgments and executions. The patient was infected with a disease but the doctor cured it. The problems arose but the solutions appeared. The war has begun but peace will end the chaos. The cycle goes on."

"This murderer maybe got away at this time but he will be captured. As I said before, it may take us time and perhaps many victims will soon follow but he will be caught with his own web of slays. May the benevolent hear our cries of desperation and may the benevolent punish the guilty."

Kensao walked away leaving Mantaro at his standing place. The young detective stood motionless as if he received a piece of advice from a philosopher. Kensao made sense of his dedication to work and his outlook in life. Never it occurred at Mantaro's mind about his fundamental knowledge of reality, nature and existence.

It was hard for Mantaro to separate from his case to anyone else. He admitted that he was deeply affected especially if the victims have a common murderer. He couldn't help himself but feel attach although he tried his very best not to show it to anyone.

A female forensic approached Mantaro with an envelope in her hand. She reported that it was a finalized summary of the DNA testing from Kaori's deep puncture wounds from the snake fangs. He took it and thanked her as she strode away towards her car. He slid it open and all it was contained was a simple paper.

He read the typed report and the facts provided him with futile findings.

_ A DNA profile has been obtained from punctured wounds of Kaori Naito._

_ In this case, all of the bands present in the profile of obtained from the punctured wounds are represented in the combined profiles of a snake found commonly in Japan. This what I would expect to find in the profile obtained from the wounds originated from natural and typical wounds presented per se.__ The results of the DNA profile obtained from the punctured wounds is approximately 0 times more likely if the profile originates from common Japanese snakes.__ In my opinion, the results detailed above provide extremely weak support for the view that the profile obtained from the punctured wounds from the snake fangs originates from natural Japanese snakes._

* * *

_Another soul was gone but that wouldn't stop from gathering more._

Botan immediately sensed the soul was taken away and dragged downwards to the underworld. She was shaken with her vision in her mind eye that there were three souls, who were locked away in their individualized cells. The wailing and crying were nonstop and painfully piercing to her ears as she shut her mind from occupying her sane thoughts. The nether regions were constantly and perpetually burning with fire without fuel. She saw the celebration of demons happily prancing with their distorted feet and the torturous weapons they used to agonize their prey upon their delight. Nothing but their twisted pleasures were present in their moods.

The very same vision nearly drove her to madness when she got a glimpse of the eternal damned. The suffering was unbearable for the weak heart and mind and no human beings deserved to be there…unless it's by their own will.

"Open the door, Botan! Open the door!"

The blue-haired lass got startled with the constant pounding, which strangely woke her mind eye to reality. She shook her head and gathered her cards for safekeeping and acknowledged the call.

"Who was it?"

"It's me, Shizuru!"

As soon as she opened it, Botan was greeted with Shizuru's arms wide as an albatross wingspan and embraced her tightly. She was crying with ferocity as if it would bring Aya back to life. Her best friend was permanently gone when the news was done. Botan tried to hold her back, to calm her, even as her own tears were thick and fallen fast from her face. "I feel your pain," she whispered but her hysteria was too strong and too wild to tame.

"Aya! The murderer took her life away!"

"I saw the news, Shizuru. I'm sorry." Botan consoled her.

Shizuru was in denial that the gruesome murder that they both loathe came about to Aya unexpectedly. Her grief surged expelled every breath, reached at its highest peak but never soothed her long intakes of damp air. Her eyes were reddened with meaningful sorrows and her thoughts scattered. Where will she start from here?

"Shizuru, I had a vision."

"I experienced a vision, too."

Suddenly, her phone was buzzing persistently inside her shoulder bag. Shizuru tried to ignore the phone call but Botan encourage her to do so just to break her frantic mood.

She dug the phone and revealed in the screen with Sakyo's name imprinted on it. She hung it up before she answered. She was about to say something but the phone rang again with his name flashing on the screen. This is not the right time to call even though he doesn't know the reason why.

"Maybe you should answer that call." Botan suggested.

"I can't. I'm still sobbing and I don't want to talk to him."

"Him?"

"Yes, it's a him," Shizuru replied

All they could hear from interruption of silence was a long ping sound that gave her a signal that someone left a voicemail message. This time, Shizuru decided to open that message.

"Shizuru, the butler told me what happened when I was gone for the meeting. I know you were so distraught right now but please give me a call. I am here to help you."

"Who was that?" Botan wanted to know the mysterious caller.

"He was a client of mine that I met at a restaurant and work with a project."

"How many days have you known him?"

"It's been weeks…quite a while." Shizuru said in a calm manner as she resumed her cool composure.

"Anyway, I had a vision when I found out the news. When I experienced vulnerability, my mind got exposed and the demons took advantage of it." She revealed.

"And?"

"They were laughing and motivating me to take my life so that I could join her in the underworld. They even told me that she was waiting for me. I shut my mind before I thought I could harm myself."

Botan inhaled deeply as she was about to do hers, "I had a vision, too. I've seen in my mind's eye about the individualized chambers."

Shizuru stared at her as if she spoke another foreign language.

"You heard me right. I saw the nether world full of chambers with the three victims that the murderer took their lives were there. I saw Aya crying in pain."

She closed her eyes trying not to imagine her fate.

"The demons were rejoicing on how souls were getting endangered every second and they are loving it. I just can't…handle it."

"Botan, if you don't mind, can I stay here for now, until I recovered from my grief?"

"You are always welcome here, Shizuru. I understand that you don't want to stay in your apartment right now since…she's gone."

Shizuru wiped her tears away and tried to crack a smile. "We need to sort things out about our visions and perhaps do something about it."

Both women communicated through their minds about the bold steps that they were about to take. Knowing the consequences was as plain as a day but they couldn't sit here and do nothing. They saw their hearts and minds about the resolution to end these tragedies and the courage that they must possess.

They also believe that once light was shone, peace will reign.

-To be continued-


	12. Chapter 12 - Meet Victoria Goode

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 12 – Meet Victoria Goode

"So, how are we going to start?" Shizuru asked with a brave tone in her voice.

Botan contemplated the meticulous steps that they were about to take. Both of them don't have the experience and yet they were adventurous enough in doing so in the name of the victims. They figured that it was effortless to travel in the underworld due to the fact that the level of human civilization was still underdeveloped and every human being has an animalistic behavior. Getting back to the physical world would entirely depend on each human being that has either gotten matured to the higher level or stuck on that level.

The lower realms were dark and shady that no ordinary person would want to journey down there. Even with the highest level of spirituality could weaken it since their domain could influence their powers. While the higher realms were hard to attain because of several layers of distortion that they have to bypass, the lower ones have no barrier to get through.

Shizuru has to be careful since people could get trapped either temporarily or permanently. Although she was fully aware that she could get through either once in a while or continuously, she must initiate to break the cycle no matter what happens.

"I am ready." She declared.

Botan was sitting with her legs crossed and began to chant some small prayers of protection. She asked Shizuru to relax in a comfortable supine position as she did so without hesitation. Minutes later, she felt her entire body vibrating softly until her soul left its physical body and began to travel to the lower realms.

Going into the lower realms was extremely counterproductive. She couldn't really do anything and couldn't make any significant precepts that she could learn from. Everything is distorted in the lower realms because it was full of hate, fear, and depression. There are things that were going to distort everything. It was extremely strenuous to communicate at this level. The realms can be material or immaterial depending on who maintains it. A lot of people find themselves in materialistic purgatory-like-realms, where everything resembled like a dark forest without any signs of vitality.

Shizuru could sense some humanoids with silhouettes and actual full figures, which were aware of her presence and knew that she doesn't belong here. She was just a visitor, trying to disrupt their darken world. One entity was about to attack her but she has a bubble shield that prevented her from getting hurt.

She came across with squid-like figures roaming around in one area. She also noticed that there were dark clouds surrounding the entities. She instantly knew that those dark clouds that develop around people's astral body are from a prolong exposure to astral combat. Astral combat was very unhealthy – they have their astral bodies contracted for too long and it caused their energies to stagnate around it.

Shizuru avoided the dark clouds so that she wouldn't end up being associated with the highly competitive beings. She doesn't have the time for that and time is short. Botan has some powers but very limited use. Trying not to attack the beings was hard as they constantly in combat with each other. It was best that she left them alone; believing if she attacks, the beings would begin to think of her as a threat. If she needed to, it was because she was left with no other choice.

As soon as she traveled far away from the peculiar clouds of distorted entities, one being stood out from the rest that Shizuru encountered.

A hooded dark figure was standing in her way with a double-headed snake, slithering around his feet. She could perceive right away that this was the murderer who was responsible for their deaths including Aya's. Shizuru couldn't believe that he would immediately find him here with an unforeseen greeting.

"Is there something that you would like to know?" His voice resonated with fear.

She knew that he was enticing him to join further down in the realm. If she does that, neither she nor Botan could save themselves when it was time to ascend to the physical world.

"Why?" That's the only word that muttered in her lips.

There was no exchange of verbal communication except that the hooded figure extended his hand towards her, curling his fingers as if to say 'come with me'.

Shizuru refused to do so as she fortified her bubble shield. The entity took a step forward to get closer to her.

The snake was moving swiftly as if it was ready for an attack with fangs displaying in full length. Shizuru gave Botan a spiritual communication that it was time to be retrieved from the nether world.

"This will not be the last of our meetings, Shizuru. I will see you again in the physical world."

She eventually raised her frequency and ejected from the lower realm into the physical state. Her spirit flew up in the air rapidly and hoping she could enter into her body without any negative energies.

As her spirit entered her body, she opened her eyes and exhibited a depressing mood. She brought despondency into her system.

"Hold steady. Let me help you."

Botan placed her hands in her head and heart as she chanted some cleansing prayers. In their spiritual minds, they could both see the rays of light illuminating from above to below. Shizuru could feel the purge of negative energies that were still attached to her soul. From her head down to her feet, the dark spots that infected her were burned and gone without a trace. She was brand new again as if the astral projection to the lower realms never happened.

"How was it?" Botan inquired curiously.

"I saw him. The murderer was there." Shizuru informed her.

"Did he attack you?"

"No, he didn't but the double-headed snake almost did. The murderer invited me to come with him further down the realms but I refused. He even asked me if there was something that I would like to know." She rephrased their short conversation.

"The individualized cells are where the lowest realms located. The three souls were imprisoned there when I saw the vision. It was too risky to stay that long and fly further down. None of our powers could do that." Botan implied.

"Do you know if someone can?"

Botan was silent for a moment, thinking exactly who could perform such a dangerous mission. Why would they descend to the farthest pit? It was because they both want to destroy the murderer but they couldn't defeat him in his territory. His territory was his source of power and both women can be defeated even if they combine such forces.

"I knew someone but it was going to be a long shot."

* * *

"She's here!" Botan said, pointing her finger towards the middle age lady among the noisy and dense crowd.

"Where?"

"The woman dragging her medium-size, hard case burgundy luggage."

Shizuru sighed with disappointment, "Botan, there's a lot of foreign visitors who were females with a hard case suitcase."

Narita Airport was one of the most organized airports in the world but just like any other, it could be crazy as hell where millions of visitors flock the terminals, check the immigration and wait for their pieces of luggage on the conveyor belt. There are times that picking up the right luggage could be exhausting since there were a lot of instances of identical bags appear out of nowhere. Worst, some bags ended up in other countries.

"Was she the one?" Shizuru wondered.

They both saw middle age lady, about in her mid-fifties, waving back at them with a joyous smile on her face. Her black and thick-rimmed glasses also showed the weariness of a traveler, yet the immense love of being in another country, that she treated as one of her own. Her wavy gray hair was displayed with pride, not minding what others thought of them. Her deeply tanned skin was wrinkled in time with some moles growing randomly.

"Miss Goode! Over here!" Botan yelled, waving back with her arm from side to side.

The woman walked up to her pace immediately as if there was no time to waste. Her legs seemed to be arthritic in shape and yet there were no signs of pain. The energy that she manifested was deemed to be younger for her age. Shizuru thought this woman must be eating healthy and exercising daily.

"Welcome to Tokyo!" She greeted her with a warm smile.

"Thank you so much for the invitation! Botan, it was nice seeing you again!"

Shizuru gazed at the woman before her and unassumingly gave her a hug. In an instant, she thought that she met her before, somewhere in time, but couldn't figure out exactly when.

"This must be Shizuru Kuwabara." Ms. Goode guessed.

"Yes, ma'am. I am Shizuru Kuwabara. I'm Botan's friend." She introduced herself.

"Oh, please! Don't call me ma'am. I'm not a formal person. Call me by the name of Victoria."

Victoria Goode was her name that sounded like she wanted to adopt if in case she wants to change her own. Victoria was a common English name, which denoted 'victory' or 'conquers' while Goode was desired.

"Ms. Goode, I know that you are so tired of your journey from America. Let us help you carry your luggage." Botan offered.

"Very well. Thank you so much. My strength was dwindling as I age although a lot of people were telling me that I still have something left." She joked.

Shizuru started to like her easy demeanor as Botan carefully took the luggage with great care. The brown-haired lass leads them to her car with her trunk already open to store away. The older lady went ahead as Shizuru approached the driver's seat to get ready. Botan followed her in a passenger seat, asking their foreign guest if she was comfortable in the back seat.

"I think I'm fine sitting here and I hope you don't mind if I doze off a little bit."

"That's okay. You needed it." Shizuru replied.

As the old lady slowly closed her eyes, she leaned over to Botan to whisper something.

"How did you get to know her?"

"I met her some time ago, or should I say a long time ago."

"How long ago was that?"

"It was during one of my past lives. Her name wasn't Victoria Goode then and obviously, I wasn't Botan then. We have different names but we recognized each other spiritually."

"Really? How?"

"It was the time when humanity lost its morality," Botan said vaguely.

Shizuru turned her head to focus on the road, "Botan, there were a lot of times humanity lost its morality. Don't keep me second-guessing. I don't like that."

Botan inhaled deeply to center herself and blurted out the truth, "It was the time when human sacrifices were commonly committed. We were living at Carthage around the first millennium. She has witnessed infants being killed and ready to be offered to the gods. "

She continued, "I was a baby at that time and my parents then easily gave up on me to her. Fortunately, she told my parents that she would take care of the rest to the gods but she didn't kill me. Instead, she induced me with a drug so that I would stop crying. She wrapped me in a safe basket and replaced me with a dead piglet."

"Was she an important figure at that time?"

"As far as I know, she was. I believe she was a high priestess under the Moloch idol. She conducted a lot of crimes herself but reached to the point that she had enough. So she dangerously took babies alive and rerouted us somewhere safe. As I said, she substituted us with dead animals as a sacrifice, which was considered as an insult. Call it as an atonement for her sins."

"When the other priests and priestesses found out about her doings, they maddeningly dragged her out from the temple, stripped her naked and stabbed her to death. That doesn't stop there, they even burned her body right in front of the idol as punishment and a reminder to other religious figures never to attempt that doing again."

Botan bowed her head in silence and recalled her memory, "In one of my visions, that was the start of her reincarnations for reparation of her sins. She did that a lot of times and never hesitated to do it all over again. She knew this would purge her soul to perfection. Altruism runs in her blood. You could even ask her how many times for an accurate count."

Shizuru listened and stayed silent for the rest of their journey back to the city. This old woman has an intriguing and interesting spiritual life from the past. Truly, her story was just the beginning of a deeper understanding of a mystic.

* * *

"That short nap was worth a ton of gold," Victoria exclaimed.

Shizuru and Botan looked at each other and giggled like high school girls. Victoria has a child-like heart that could be rapidly become likable to strangers. Her smile was infectious, her jokes are laughable and her glow was shining brightly. They share such joyous moment that finding inner peace was at hers to search at. The good vibrations calm their inner storms. Her perceptions were similar to birds flying constantly during springtime, which lifted the veil from their eyes and allowed them to see the world more clearly.

Botan prepared some furniture to sit in to start the session. Unfortunately, Victoria was not accustomed to sitting in a chair without legs.

"Botan, I hope you won't mind that I would sit with my legs fully extended. I can't cross it at this age of mine."

"You can do whatever you want, Miss Victoria. Make yourself comfortable."

"Thank you! Now, where shall we begin?"

Shizuru tried to recollect her jumbled thoughts on where the most sensible point of conversation to begin with. As gruesome as it is, she initiated the talk.

"I would like to say it all started with murders of three women. One was a prostitute, another was a desperate woman searching for a new lover and lastly, my curious best friend." She said directly.

"Oh, I see." Victoria's tone became serious all of a sudden. "Did the police find something evident?"

"As far as the reports go, none. It was sad to say. The findings were quite eccentric. The first victim was found in a skeletal state as it decayed for years in a short time." Shizuru recalled from her memory.

"The chemical substances found were something ancients preserved the mummies," Botan added.

"Oh, so this murderer has the knowledge since the Egyptian times. Let me recall one of my past lives."

Victoria closed her eyes and easily scanned her lives as if she was right in front of a computer searching and typing continuously. Shizuru and Botan observed her and wondered if this woman has the capability of recalling their own past lives. It took her only three minutes to stay silent and began to speak with the information that she gathered.

"He was a priest of the dead. He was an assistant to the chief priest of Anubis. He was called by the name of Ibebi, as he lived around fifth century BC. He was good-looking, calm, charming and intelligent but has an exceedingly dark outlook in life. He was a learned man as he knew a lot of ancient languages that don't or few existed today."

The middle-aged lady stopped for a moment to concentrate on the exact events happened. She took a sip from a cup of green tea that was placed in front of her.

"He was the holder of the Book of the Dead. The old chief priest trusted him so much that he took him under his wing. The old man groomed him to be his successor with a promising future. However…"

"However, what?" Shizuru and Botan asked at the same time, leaning towards her.

"Ibebi was so talented that not only he memorized the Book of the Dead by heart but he was able to recruit dead souls and demons to the physical world. He killed his mentor after when he was influenced by Seth, the god of destruction."

"What?" They exclaimed almost in a unison voice.

"He was so obsessed with his profession that it consumed his mind, body, and soul," Victoria added.

She continued, "The Book of the Dead was proven to be too dangerous for a young assistant priest. However, he has strong ambitions and plans to overtake the ancient city. He switched his loyalty to Seth, as he became so inexorable when demons were on his side."

"So, how did they stop him then?" Botan questioned while she took some notepad and pencil to begin documenting.

"The priests of Osiris countered him. It was a long battle but they eventually won. I was a neophyte baptizer under the Temple of Osiris. As a matter of fact, you were there too, Shizuru."

"Really? How?"

"You were a young girl who constantly cries because of the terror you've witnessed. So I blessed you with a consecrated water."

Shizuru experienced a bizarre and instant flashback in her vision about an old woman wiping her eyes with water that she's talking about. So, it was her who has given her the psychic powers that up to this day, she was transformed into something extraordinary.

"What am I doing in the middle of it?"

"Your parents died when demons attacked the town. They died protecting you with all their love and help from Osiris, the god of life."

"So, what happened to Ibebi? Was he punished?" Botan implored.

"He was punished by the pharaoh, elders, wise counsels, and senior priests. But something happened on that day. Ibebi was transformed into a double-headed snake as he cursed all his colleagues that they would follow his fate. He then traveled to the underworld in order to live forever. From that day onwards, this creature constantly and tirelessly enlisted men and women with a high amount of ambitions with rotten goals. He wanted to relieve his years of youth by destroying other men and women who are highly spiritual." Victoria ended her statement.

"Did you ever meet him again, you know, Ibebi the snake?"

"Of course! A lot of times we met and destroy each other. It was the battle of good versus evil. Ibebi was his Egyptian name but I believe his name in the underworld was Ugen Inat. As a matter of fact, the double-headed snake has an accomplice that I've encountered and he might be here living in this lifetime."

"Who?" Shizuru softly asked.

Victoria took another sip, savoring its flavor and the warmness of brewed green tea in her mouth. As she placed the cup down the table, she took Shizuru's hand and stared at her intently.

"You will witness what I had witnessed in one of my lifetimes." She said mysteriously.

-To be continued-


	13. Chapter 13 - Hush

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 13 – Hush

"What do you mean by that?"

Victoria placed both of her hands at the sides of Shizuru's head. Her once warm hands suddenly became cold as winter season; it felt like she has no circulation on it. She scanned her face at every angle as if she's reading them with rapt. Interpretations could be tricky when she's dealing with an old-souled woman, who has been through a lot of life lessons since time immemorial.

"Will you let me access your past lives?"

"Yes." Shizuru permitted.

Intuition was an ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. Reading "like a book," as they say although she wouldn't ever thought to be that simple. People make it sound like you could just observe at someone and knew exactly what they are thinking at all times but that couldn't be the case. She heard that the eyes are windows to the soul but they aren't just holes in a face. Supposed that nobody could really know, maybe that is a good thing or maybe it's a curse. One thing is for sure - humans are complicated and amazing creatures, so she wouldn't dare to stare through hers until this is over.

Distorted realities set in as Shizuru could see the peripheral views from her eyes that Botan and the living room were spinning, fading and nonetheless gone. She knew that she was teleported back into the past where events once took place. These same events were meant to revisit but never to be changed.

Her surroundings slowly took its defined forms and turned her head around like she was lost in another world. Victoria was still with her, reassured that she won't leave her side.

A beautifully ornate nineteenth-century mansion was sitting at the far end of the land. It was built in strong red bricks with white trims, attached gazebo, and covered porch. Above were vibrant blue skies and decorated with lush trees and well-kempt garden. The flowers were alive and she could see children running and playing in circles.

A group of people came in their horse-drawn carriages as Shizuru immediately stepped aside in order to avoid being hit.

"You don't have to worry about that. We don't exist in their world. We are just mere observers." Victoria noted.

A gentleman wearing an English coat with tails, top hat and a cane emerged from the carriage and greeted what looked like his fiancée. She blushed and gracefully run to him as he kissed her hand as a sign of cultured gesture.

"What is this, Victoria?"

"You will see when the events unfold."

A woman threw her arms around his neck and unapologetically kissed him on the lips. What seemed to be a taboo in those days were nothing to a woman, who was deeply in love with him. Some elderly people nodded their heads in disapproval and started whispering comments on how social behavior was conducted unethically. As the man turned around his back, Shizuru noticed a black shadow following him.

It was Ugen Inat in a snake form, hissing in vile words about the riches he could inherit once the woman dies. He revealed how she would be killed in a carefully planned execution and for what is presented as a mysterious death. He initiated a poison from one plant in the garden that was secretly formulated and placed in dried tea leaves. Meanwhile, the guests entered the mansion with the anticipated announcement.

In the background, an old female servant discovered the plot and hurriedly intercepted the plan. She switched the teas into non-poisonous ones and threw the poison liquid in the drain. As she emerged from the kitchen with a tray of cups the couple took a sip and drank together. A man stared at his fiancée and wondered why it took so long for her to die. She was oblivious with her eyes glued to him.

"Do you know that woman was?"

"It was me, am I?"

"Yes, and do you know who that man was?"

"I don't know but when we're at the outside, the mansion looked so familiar."

"Yes, it was familiar. It will come to you."

Shizuru stared at her with incredulity in her eyes. As she turned her attention to the mansion, she found herself gone again to go back in the present time. It sparked in her mind that why would Victoria took her at that point of the event. What was the relevance of the supposed-to-be a planned plot to assassinate an heiress but failed in fruition? It doesn't make any connection to their present problem.

Speculation wasn't her best interest when Victoria mentioned the possibility that they are getting closer to the identity of a killer. Although she verbally admitted that the murderer could disguise a thousand identities if Ugen Inat could sense their plans. Botan offered some advice that both women could use each other's strengths.

"Can we travel to the Hall of Records?" She suggested.

The Hall of Records or some others called it, The Akashic Records. It was a system that acts as the central storehouse of all information for every individual who has ever lived upon the earth. More than just a reservoir of events, the Akashic Records contain every deed, word, feeling, thought, and intent that has ever occurred at any time in the history of the world. The Akashic Records contained the entire history of every soul since the dawn of Creation. These records connect each one of us to one another. It contained the stimulus for every archetypal symbol or mythic story, which has ever deeply touched patterns of human behavior and experience. They have been the inspiration for dreams and inventions. It drew them toward or repelled them from one another. It molded and shaped levels of human consciousness; it was a portion of Divine Mind.

"How do we able to navigate the Hall of Records? Do you know how the sheer size of the Hall with billions of people around the world have each of them has everything recorded?" Shizuru protested.

"My child, the Hall of Records is boundless in time and space. It doesn't set limitations as there are no walls and ceilings but perhaps we could meet an old sage man who was willing to lend the book of a murderer's life." Victoria said with paucity.

Somehow, she got her answers right away.

* * *

"Somebody's ruining our plans." He murmured.

The Unspeakable Impaler has an uncanny sense that somebody from the physical world was trying to unmask his identity through an upcoming plan to visit the Hall of Records. He knew it was their last resort and time will come for the laws of karma will end his atrocious mission. But not when he was still alive.

"Does that disturb you?" Ugen Inat questioned him.

His bloodshot eyes and blood-dripping mouth continuously flow down to the fiery ground. The sizzling sound of liquid immediately evaporated into a colorless smoke drifting around in thin black air. His hands are calloused and his body tired of multiple transitions from physical to underworlds. However, his corrupted mind and soul remained the same.

"No. Not a bit." He replied with confidence.

"What will be your next step?"

"To stop them, of course. They will pass through here before they arrive the route to Hall of Records."

"I believe she will have a companion…a powerful one." The snake hinted.

"I don't care who she was. Will it matter anyhow?" The Impaler shrugged.

Ugen Inat hissed with satisfaction as it reminded him of his glorious past. Maddeningly passionate, charming, cold-hearted and manipulative were the qualities that it tempted him to join its mission of eternal destruction. Mankind was never human, according to the self-cursed soul when his outlook was pinpointed by man's long history of debauchery.

"Perhaps, time is running out for you. The contract was not done as of yet."

"I killed three as we agreed upon from the beginning."

"True, but changes of plans are made along the way. I want the last one with the psychic powers." The snake devilishly said while pointing its snout into the small window of the physical world. As if it was within reach, Shizuru's face appeared and seemed to be exchanging her plans with Victoria. They both saw her illustrating the path to take and mazes to avoid for the easiest road to the Hall.

"Her psychic powers were beyond my estimates. She should have been the first one to be killed instead of the three." The Impaler noted.

"Indeed, but the more souls were contained the merrier the chamber will be."

The Impaler extended his arm toward the window and based from the view, Shizuru felt something odd that she couldn't explain. She froze and her eyes were fixated. Her eye colors converted from brown to red and her mouth starting to produce blood without any reasons. Victoria took notice of her sudden alteration of behavior. Their conversations were audible to them.

"What's going on, Shizuru?" Botan asked with curiosity.

"She's being held by someone from the underworld. Placed our hands over her head quickly!" Victoria commanded.

As both women did so, Ugen Inat curled its long body and dispersed its own power in order to prevent them from overtaking her. It was a soul tug of war as if bringing her here was too simple to perform. The Impaler tightened his hold unto Shizuru and started to drag her into the portal.

"You'll never get her!" Victoria screamed.

The communication between the two worlds became thinner and more accessible as the middle-aged lady instinctively saw Ugen Inat was the source of power. She cast the spell to the reptile that it made violently wiggle its body and started to transform into Ibebi, the cursed Egyptian priest.

The portal immediately shut off as The Impaler withdrew his hold from Shizuru. It was his first time to witness Ugen Inat as a man in the flesh from the lost millennia. He whispered a spell that returns to its original figure, the dreaded and villainous hostile snake.

"She shall pay for what she had done to me! She turned me into a despicable human being!"

"You are no longer a man no matter what Victoria does to you." The Impaler reminded him.

"You don't know how to be a creature with unlimited powers that transitioning back to a weak human being was offensive!"

The Impaler understood his plight, as he has no words to say. He was a man before being corrupted by his own ambitions and pride. He was eternally damned as he chose this path from the start. He has his own pride, too but hasn't experienced with powers from the underworld.

"It is true that physical powers have certain limitations as death could end it. The spiritual power that you have was the one I would love to acquire."

"Oh yes, indeed. Once you have it, it was an addiction that was a hard habit to break. It will consume you eternally and it will make you unconquerable." The snake enticed him.

Ugen Inat's hatred was so volcanic and intense that it defied logic by description. It was hard to imagine that there was such a being that has absolutely no redeeming qualities whatsoever. It was pure evil. It existed, and it was supremely dedicated to its unholy cause. Such hatred to mankind was all left of it. A devil's path, like an ash-strewn surface without a single footprint; with the temptation to walk it was a platter of logical and compelling reasons, ones that boost the ego and frame false-heroes. There was no prize worth the corruption of its soul; hate brought only pain and the cycles of destruction upon to all.

The Unspeakable Impaler has no time to loose that he could sense that Shizuru was on her way to the Hall of Records. A greeting wouldn't hurt her as he left the reptile licking its own wounds. Its pride was beaten but not defeated.

"I'll make her pay." He declared as his words. The object of the hatred may or may not be present, but the imagined words and hostile actions against the hated one could dominate her.

* * *

Shizuru fell into the ground gasping for some air and recollecting her sense of self. She felt her neck was burnt from a calloused hand, the tightness and the pain it left. The women never knew why it happened unexpectedly, for the events were swift to occur. She was panting rapidly and bullets of sweat came out from all over her body continuously.

"What the hell was that?" She wheezed.

"It was him! The Unspeakable Impaler!" Botan identified the murderer's name immediately through her senses.

"Did you see him? What does he look like?"

"His eyes were red and his mouth was spewing with blood. His face was emotionally cold."

"What about his physical features? What was it?"

Botan couldn't set the details completely as she admitted to Shizuru that she partially witnessed him from the portal. It was too small to get a glimpse of him. She even didn't see Ugen Inat, which Victoria was aware that it was with him all along.

"How did they know that we are plotting to travel to the Hall of Records? Do you think that they're spying on us all along?"

"No, until I mentioned the words, 'Hall of Records.'" Victoria commented.

"Do you think they will get there first before us?" Botan implied.

"They might be so we better act fast. Shizuru, are you ready?"

"Yes, I am ready. Time is running out for us since they already discovered our plans."

Victoria and Botan sat across each other while holding hands and Shizuru lay flat on the ground once more to perform astral projection. They bowed their heads, closed their eyes and murmured some chants for protection, safety, and non-violent powers in order to shield her from negative forces.

"Remember, you got two psychics to help you. Don't hesitate to call upon us when their powers overcome you." The middle-aged woman advised her.

"Definitely I won't hesitate. I am determined to destroy him once and for all." She said bravely.

Shizuru relaxed herself and shut her consciousness minutes later. Both women saw in their minds' eyes that she left the physical world in order to gather celestial information about the Unspeakable Impaler, the vicious and elusive killer.

I will fight for you, Aya. I will fight for you.

The dark gray skies of the other world engulfed the frail light, diminishing all happiness and bliss that had risen with the sun. Now only silence lingers in the air. She shivered in the claustrophobic tunnel that leads to the only route to the Hall. She cannot fail in this mission and if she does, it would become a failure for a cause on behalf of the victims.

She nibbled her thin lips like a famished mouse to where her soul would go. She called upon Victoria to which roads to take, as she was faced with multitudes of paths with uncertain destinations.

Let your mind lead the way. Never let the negativities overcome you.

She followed her spiritual mind to take the lead as her soul flown involuntarily at the farthest and neglected corner of the road. She took it without doubts as her mouth formed a rigid grimace and she knew she was correct. Each step of her foot in the beaten path of thick stones echoed the tumultuous thudding of her heartbeat.

She traveled again upon the first levels of the underworld. There are vague, horrible shapes, grotesque forms such as one sees in nightmares. Passing on, there began to appear on either side, misshapen forms of human beings with some part of the body magnified. Hooded figures were on her path but one familiar sight she has her eyes on.

"What do you want from me?" The Unspeakable Impaler demanded.

"You and no one else."

"Is it because of what I have done?"

"Yes, and what have you done to yourself." Shizuru communicated through her mind to him.

"Whatever I've done unto myself was not a concern for you to solve. Perhaps you should worry about your life and Aya's soul."

Shizuru was determined to resist his temptation to go down to his level again. This was an old trick that dogs could learn to please their master but not this time around. She has to pass him in order to access the Hall of Records before he could intervene. Those strong hands still linger in her neck as she could sense it was burning again in pain.

"Does it hurt you? I knew it does because I wanted to make sure your pain excruciates the same way I killed Aya."

"Enough of your games, Impaler! Get out of my way."

"Unless you defeat me first."

In that frozen second of a standoff, she saw his blooded eyes flick from him to her. However, it was unreadable, no fear or no invitational smirk. Her plan was to capitalize his mistakes if ever he committed one. There was no pleasure in his aura, as she never expected there to be, and there will be full of fears.

Hope dies last.

Ugen Inat briskly appeared from her behind as her quick sense evaded the creature from giving her a surprise attack. A string of curses unraveled from his tongue, as the creature advanced. Its golden scales shimmered with hot anger along with its dark, cold reptilian eyes. Every time she took a step back, the snake rattled its tail with excitement.

"The easiest bait to date."

"Not that I am here!" Another female voice replied.

Victoria was standing beside Shizuru with her all-powerful aura of light shone through the thick darkness like a sharp razor. All humanoid creatures bent their knees and begged to leave for they were not used to seeing a golden light coming from the enlightened one.

"We meet again, Ugen Inat or should I say, Ibebi."

"Never mention that name again, Rania! Curses will be upon you once I lay my mouth on your neck!"

Victoria leaned on to Shizuru to whisper in her ear about their next plan against them. "Search for the scroll hidden in The Impaler. Your powers will defeat him here."

"A scroll?" She asked innocently.

"Do as I say right now!" Victoria commanded.

Shizuru breathe deeply and charged against The Impaler. He halted her advance by shielded himself with a thick layer of a negative barrier. She knew this would come along as she brought out the spell that she inherited from the seasoned psychic.

"Come out, come out whatever's hidden,

The scroll that was kept forbidden,

Come to me into my hands,

From the darkness to light, it shall land as planned."

-To be continued-


	14. Chapter 14 - The Burden

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 14 – The Burden

Once she uttered the spell, the negative barrier started to vibrate violently and uncontrollably. The Impaler wondered why did it happen from an ordinary human being, who was able to break the spell and broke into tiny million pieces. The spell worked accordingly as the scroll came out from his hooded clothing. They've both witnessed that it swished in the air in a predictable direction.

Shizuru instinctively hold with it in her hand as Victoria grabbed her arm and chanted the disappearing spell to the physical world. Ugen Inat hastened his movements as they could see it was ready to lunge at them. Their bodies began to fade from the underworld in order to escape.

With one little gap between space and time, Ugen Inat was able to thrust and bite Victoria's ankle with all its might and her spiritual body was completely gone. It managed a good detrimental effects and thought that the poison injected on her was done.

"The scroll! They fooled us with their plans with their journey to the Hall of Records." The snake said with anger.

The Impaler knew that without the scroll, he couldn't inherit the powers that Ugen wanted to instill in him. He made his hand into a tightened fist and expressed his disappointment and anger at himself. He threw a punch into the muddy ground as his hand got swollen with some burst of blood from his veins. Its funny on how this pain would transcend from the physical level could carry over to the spiritual world.

"Vengeance could only mean death…"The Impaler murmured.

"…and death shall come upon them." The snake ended his declaration.

* * *

"You made it! You made it!" Botan was screaming in excitement for she was deeply aware that they won. She was jumping up and down with her arms high up in the air as she calmed herself down and tendered some care on Shizuru and Victoria, who were exhausted from their journey and their transitional phase but nevertheless victorious about the first part of their cause.

"I got the scroll! I got the…"Shizuru stopped.

She noticed that Victoria was badly wounded from the snakebite at her ankle. It was bleeding but the worst part; there was a small green liquid oozing out from the wound. It was obviously a poison from Ugen Inat's bite but it became effective all the way with her.

"Never mind my wound. The scroll needs to be broken. It was far from over." She said while she was excruciating in pain.

"How? This is not the type of scroll that you could find in the museum archives." Botan mused.

Victoria attempted to stand up despite the wound but alas; she suffering from it and it's already in her system, as she didn't like the odds of her survival. Botan took a closer look at the wound and pulled out the potions from her handy bag rapidly. She scattered all the small vials on the wooden floor. She picked the green-colored bottle, unscrewed the cork and poured a colorless liquid.

Shizuru heard a fizzled sound as she turned her head away from Victoria. She could tell that she wanted to scream in pain but couldn't. Her hands tighten her hold in her leg as few minutes have passed; the poison faded away slowly and regained her strength.

"It's an all-purpose antidote that I purchased from the spirit world. I got it on sale." She said sheepishly.

"It's working well. I could see the wound was regenerating and closing by itself." Victoria noted.

"You mentioned that this scroll needs to be broken but what's in it?" Shizuru said while she held it close to her chest.

Before Victoria could answer her question, the scroll began to beat rhythmically along with Shizuru's heartbeat. She got alarmed with the eccentric response as if the scroll has the mind on its own. Was it because it was no longer in the nebulous place that the scroll could do anything on its own or was it because it belonged to a new and benevolent owner?

"What just happened?"

"Hmmmm….that's unexpected," Victoria exclaimed.

"Was that intentional?" Botan questioned.

"I don't know. Usually, any scroll that was possessed by the underworld would resist the new owner by burning itself. However, this peculiar one doesn't."

"Do you think this scroll already knows me?" Shizuru asked with curiosity.

"Either that or…."

"Or?" Botan leaned on the seasoned psychic, urging her to continue her theory.

"…I don't know." Victoria said, shutting off the suspense.

Shizuru and Botan sighed in disappointment as they attempted to find the edge of the scroll. Whatever was written inside requires deciphering some spells. Their theory that once they have done that, Ugen Inat and the Impaler would be destroyed as the scroll would likely to follow the path as well. Obviously, Ugen was smart enough that unfurling it wasn't easy peasy.

The danger of casting spells against the underworld may backfire at them; carefully treading them with the least amount of resistance could offer. There was a saying, "every action has an equal and opposite reaction," and this was just as true for magic as it was for anything else. In the heat of the moment, there was a sure-fire of temptation to cast revenge spells, in the name of the Impaler's victims. Hate shall not answer to hate, as this would only add fuel to the fire for Ugen Inat's intention of destroying mankind.

There was also a clear cut of the Impaler's intention to gather souls as part of his mission but what kind of mission was he trying to fulfill on behalf of Ugen Inat? What does he want from the damned snake? Or worst, what does Ugen want from the Impaler? Could it be there was a symbiotic relationship between them?

The intention is what it meant for energy to do and went into everything.

If the Impaler possessed chamber cells, which was a naturally occurring magic that house the souls of the dead. It allowed him to gain power from everything he kills, but all the restless spirits he kept would attract ethereal demons, to feed off emotions. This would have tragic results, as it would slowly be driven to insanity and become a shadow of a former self. It would slowly turn into a demon and become obsessed with something demons could feed upon. A person could no longer in complete control of his or her mind. Every decision the Impaler made would revolve around what Ugen Inat want from him.

"We need to separate the Impaler and Ugen Inat…no matter what," Shizuru spoke in a monotone voice.

* * *

"Well, it was a long day today. I'll see you tomorrow. Take care of yourselves. My advice is that no meditation tonight. We've exhausted all our energies today." Victoria instructed as she hailed a taxi to return to her nearby small-scaled hotel.

"We learned a lot today. Thank you so much! Please take a good rest for tomorrow." Botan implied as she stepped back to close the door in front of her. Both women stared at each other as if the next phase of the plan was deemed necessary.

"Whew! We got the scroll now what are we going to do with it?"

"Like she said, we need to open and destroy it." Shizuru figured.

"How in the world will this netherworld scroll be going to adapt the changes in this human world? Look at it, this was well rolled without any presence of paper edges nor a wax seal."

"Do you think the opening spell would do it?"

"We could try that or nothing at all."

Shizuru laid the manuscript carefully and took further steps backward to where Botan was standing. They both agreed that one after another would take an alternative casting of opening spell. Botan volunteered to initiate with her mind settled with the spell.

"Open sesame!"

"Seriously? Is that the spell that you can think of?" Shizuru said with one eyebrow raised.

"Okay, okay! Here's one thing…' reveal your true purpose!'"

The manuscript didn't respond to its lame spell.

Shizuru made a turn and uttered the spell, "Unveil your objectives for you are no longer in the presence of the underworld!"

It remained motionless.

"Forecast what was written inside to us!" Botan immediately exclaimed.

Nothing substantial happened.

"Can we just grab it with our bare hands and strenuously unroll it?" Botan suggested.

"I couldn't think of a better way to do so." Shizuru agreed.

They both rush to reach the manuscript from the floor and brutally tried to spread out but to no avail. They've manipulated the scroll even from the rolled edges on each end of it. What it seemed to be that two brains that have combined together to solve a Rubik's cube problem. After an hour, both of them gave up as Shizuru threw it to the wall.

"Fuck this! I'm tired of it." She said exasperatedly.

"Do you want to eat some ramen? We can call for order and delivery." Botan proposed.

"I'm on it. I think our spells are not working just because we're hungry." The brown-haired woman joked.

As the women walked away to call for food delivery, little did they know that the red ruby wax seal emerged magically with the Impaler's bloody image on it.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to keep that scroll with you in bed?" Botan asked with a horrified expression on her face.

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine." Shizuru shoved it off.

"I could create a small treasure box with protection spells on it. In that way, we could sleep soundly tonight." Botan negotiated one last time.

"I understand your concern but I can do that, too, you know." She winked.

"Okay, but just in case you change your mind, I'll be right next door from you."

"Sure! If I change my mind, though."

Botan shook off her head as she slowly pulled the bedroom door to close. The click sound made Shizuru assured that she could do anything that she wants now. She was gone all right but the rolled parchment remained steady beside the table lamp.

_Is there something that you would like to know? _The scroll relayed its thoughts to her.

Shizuru's fear crawled into her veins but did not make it to her facial muscles or skin. She could clearly understand the message from the manuscript as she heard that sentence before when she first journeyed to the underworld with her first confrontation with the Unspeakable Impaler.

"A lot of things from you." She whispered making sure Botan wouldn't hear it next door.

_It sounded so vague, Shizuru. Could you expand it further? _It requested.

"Why did you kill the victims? What have they done to you?"

_Nothing was done to me but what I have done to them was something that I need to fulfill._

"Are you fulfilling Ugen Inat's task?"

_Yes._

"Please stop it now. I could help you."

_In what way could you help me with?_

"There are myriad ways of helping you, Impaler. Give up your ambitions to be his follower. You can be saved while the snake is forever bound with his own curse."

_Who are you to make decisions for me?_

"I am no one but I am just showing you the path to life."

_ I have chosen the path of death and I am determined not to go back._ _Riddle me this. How can I call it a nightmare, if it doesn't leave my presence when I'm awake?_

Shizuru has no answer to the Impaler's subliminal messages, as she wanted to cut off the communication. She could feel her energy's draining into empty. However, the Impaler's voice has some plans for her.

_Would you like to come with me one more time?_

"No."

_ I could make Aya alive and well._

"NO!" She resisted, hoping it would stop as she regrets to turn down Botan's decision to contain it in a treasure box.

The deafening silence between Shizuru and the Impaler's darken parchment made the bedroom light completely dark. Her body was bathed in cold sweat with the bedsheets twisted and bounded her arms, legs, and neck. Instead of screaming or crying for help, she was paralyzed not in fear but in submission. She was under his spell and she was absolutely no clue about it.

She was thrown into her bed, strapped tightly without any resistance from her. Why she was acting this way? She should be fighting by now but no exert of strength from the muscles in every part of her body. The Impaler was winning even without his physical presence.

"Shizuru, wake up! Wake up!" Botan screamed.

Shizuru was minutes away from dying of suffocation as she opened her eyes in confusion. The bedroom lights were on in total brightness and Botan slapped her to awaken her senses. She shook her head in disbelief, not knowing that the blue-haired psychic would do that to her in an instant. However, despite some bruise on her face, she was thankful that she did it.

"What was that all about?"

"His spell. You were under his spell! I told you we should put away in a chest to where it's safe."

Shizuru bowed her head and found herself bound with bedsheets, concluding that the Impaler did this to her. She scanned her surroundings and found that the black scroll was sitting innocently in the wooden surface. Botan immediately put it away in a small wooden chest and cast a protection spell so that no one could harm them.

"It spoke to me." She revealed to Botan.

"What did it say?"

"It was the Impaler's means of communication. I was trying to convince him to stop fulfilling Ugen's tasks."

"Why would you do that? Trying to convince him of what? Was it to change his ways? Never in a million years, Shizuru. You can't negotiate with him especially when he's under the evil influence."

Logically, Botan was right. Negotiation never existed in the demon's dictionary.

* * *

_If there was only one thing that I would change, it would be bringing Aya back to life._

Shizuru was holding a bunch of white roses in her hands while walking slowly towards Aya's grave. The multitudes of gray and beaten gravestones in the green field were something that she found it depressing. The sky was bright, beautiful and blue but the memories of the forgotten dead made it gloomy for her.

The flashback of her finding out in television and painfully cried over the news made her want to forget that melancholic past. The dead may be remembered and forgotten but to Shizuru's mind, it will forever be etched in her. She noticed that molds covered the engravings dedicated to the dead, trees leaning towards the stones, branches reaching out to each other. Spiked, black fences surrounded the graveyard almost like it was a prison. The smell of old stone filled the dry air, weeds covering the graves of the dead, loved ones long since stopped visiting. Gravel paths weave through the maze of graves, allowing passers-by to pay their respects to the people peacefully laid to earth.

As she got closer to Aya's grave, she saw an old woman, kneeled in front of the gravestone and sobbing silently while muttering some prayers. _I knew her from somewhere but I couldn't recall exactly where_ she thought.

For some reason, the woman stopped her mournful activity and turned her head to Shizuru. It was Aya's mother, Hina Matsui.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you. I just want to offer my flowers for her." She apologized.

Hina's eyes were expressed with repressed joy. "It's alright. You can lay those flowers right beside mine. Perhaps we could chant some prayers for her."

She quietly agreed to her suggestion as she got close to the tombstone and laid the flowers as she asked for. The old woman took a side step so that Shizuru could have some room and pay her respect to Aya. She sorrowfully stared at Hina with guilt marked on her face. When the words would not come, the tears did. The mourning was supposed to be something dignified and stoic in her, but she noisily cried like a child and she was not ashamed.

"I could have protected her so that she could live," Shizuru said softly.

"My child, fate was something that is out of our control. It was entirely in God's hands."

"Why would He allow doing so?"

"I don't have an answer to that question even for myself. There are days and nights I repeatedly ask for that and no answer came into my mind. The time may not be right to reveal the true purpose." Hina said philosophically.

Shizuru wiped away her tears to the dismay of her own question. Having a loved one loss was not comfortable as no relationship was perfect. She knew she made mistakes. There are things she wanted to do with her loved one, or things she wished she didn't say. Thinking about all the things that could have been different overwhelmed her. Apologizing from her heart in prayer and let those thoughts go was the last thing she would do.

The burden of grief was a natural and necessary reaction to a significant change or loss in life. It was a painful experience as the time it takes for an emotional wound to heal varies from person to person.

Moving on was another thing to consider. Shizuru was not completely ready to move on although it showed like she already did. She leaned her head to Hina's shoulder as a sign of "I will make up to you." The old lady could only offer her comfort by embracing her with all the love that a mother would give to her daughter.

"Shizuru, don't feel guilty about it. There is a reason why it happened. Life is a strange world to understand if you observe from a philosophical perspective. Even the experts themselves have a hard time finding the right words to say." She whispered to her ear.

_ The only thing I could repay you, Mrs. Matsui is to give justice for your daughter_, she thought reflectively.

-To be continued-


	15. Chapter 15 - Violator

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 15 – Violator

Botan couldn't help herself when nervousness set in and occupied every fragile nerve in her body. Shaking, sweating and mumbling unintelligible words came out from her system. It was not her intention to keep Shizuru unaware of her whereabouts but with the events that occurred for the past few days provided her with solid answers.

The blue-haired woman was sitting in a wooden bench in a hallway of the police precinct. Few criminals came and went in the narrow passageway with some occasional catcalls coming from them. Policemen aggressively shut them off with the treat of screams and physical actions.

"Miss Botan, Mr. Isa is ready to see and speak to you." The secretary notified.

"Thank you!" She said gratefully and followed her to his office.

Upon meeting with Mantaro Isa, he was surprised with her unique hair color that stood out from the rest of the people in the precinct. Botan was demure and dressed appropriately despite the fact that she was only here to state her findings for a few minutes. It wouldn't matter if it sounded bizarre in the first place. The good-natured gentleman offered his hand for a handshake and made a gesture to take a seat in front of the table.

"So, why are you here for?"

"It was the murderer that I came here for." She whispered.

Mantaro eyes widened with surprise, thinking his investigative search would end up with a glimpse of conclusion. "Really? So, what about it?"

"This might be a little magical to hear but my friend and I found him."

"And? Where is he?"

"From hell."

"Definitely the murderer is from hell considering that he killed three women without any traces of clues. Everybody knows that he's from hell when conscience is nowhere to be found from his soul. Hmmm, I should say he has no soul." Mantaro jeered.

Botan deeply inhaled and relaxed her hands that were lying down at the top of her thighs. It was hard to explain from a psychic's point of view on how a rational mind like Mantaro would coincide with her abstract thoughts.

"Sir, I'm a psychic. My friend and I used astral projection to search in the underworld to where he was. He was being controlled by a fallen man in disguise of snake…"

She stopped for a moment, noticing that his facial expression turned serious. His body straightened without the aid of a backrest of a chair, he never slumped towards her and his body was muscular that no jerky movements came out from it. His eyes were so fixated that Botan guessed that he was reading from her mind through his penetrating gaze.

"A snake you said. My late fiancée was his second victim and we have an inconclusive finding that she was strangled to death. Our theory was that some snake, like a mutant python, killed her. However, no pythons existed here since the importation of exotic animals were strictly enforced."

"With all due respect, may I inspect her cadaver, sir." She asked politely.

Mantaro hesitated for a minute from some stranger who would want to observe Kaori's body in the preserve freezer. Obviously, nobody in his right mind would allow an outsider to enter beyond police prohibited premises.

However, he would grant this young lady a chance to do so since she might provide them some insights about the snake that she's talking about. A snake from an underworld that traveled freely could be the culprit of her death.

Botan prayed that he would permit her to grant access to the victim's body so, in that way, she could use her powers to extract the remnants of the horrifying event. She could aid the police intelligence in supplying the missing information.

"Alright, follow me but don't say a word to anyone you meet. I will be solely responsible for answering questions about you."

She couldn't agree more as he stood up from his chair and commanded her to follow him. She didn't object as she did what he asked for. Botan looked like a hidden angel figure from Mantaro's back as if nobody's behind him. He led the way with a periodic talk from his colleagues. His partner, Noburo Jin was on the phone, busy conversing without minding who's around him.

Finally, they reached the laboratory that was off-limits to any low ranking officers. He punched the code and a ringing sound opened the door. He pushed it away gently finding a white-tiled room with heavily scented Clorox around it. Botan couldn't take it as she almost puke in her first inhale of air.

Mantaro wasn't even bothered with the scent. He probably got used to it since it was part of his work. He pulled the steel handle and there she was, a sleeping Kaori with injected formaldehyde in her body.

Botan's attention went straight to prominent marks in her neck and chest. Two pairs of deeply punctured wounds were there as if it happened like yesterday. She leaned closer with her nosed pinched.

"It was a two-headed snake," Botan said blankly. "It was Ugen Inat's bite marks."

"Who?" He questioned with a raised voice.

Botan suddenly muttered a story on how Kaori was lured by Ugen Inat's romantic gestures. He was in his human form so no one would ever detect his origins since it could raise suspicion. They met in the museum with the promise of an exciting getaway. She fell for it, while she stared at the mysterious painting until it was too late to realize that she found herself in the abandoned park to where she became part of his ritual.

Something flashed beneath the surface of his hardened expression and Botan noticed the sudden shift. It was too late; the emotion disappeared before she could identify it. He was heartbroken with the fact that she was looking for another man to fulfill her fantasy but that fantasy turned to terror.

"So, that's how she ended up."

She was about to say something but decided not to. It was too painful to witness his sorrow on how his late fiancée's fate. He turned his head away from her as he got into a reflective mood. However, his expression changed again, this time, in a determined one.

"How can we capture him?"

* * *

"Botan, how dare you left me without knowing where you are." Shizuru cursed.

Nobody seemed to mind when cursing words were flying through the air with no person around in the apartment. She was hungry and all that she could find in the refrigerator was some leftover instant noodles.

"Instant noodles became a staple food for me." She sighed.

Somehow, Shizuru missed the luscious food that she ate with Sakyo with the unexpected meeting. The perfectly cooked course every time it served on her plate was comparable like art in the museum. It was so delicate that all she needed to do was to stare for hours. Not to mention the conversation and the intimacy that is entailed with it.

Speaking of Sakyo, she felt guilty of not answering his numerous texts and missed calls from her smartphone. She knew he would be upset after days of being absent in her own apartment as if she's hiding from him. Shizuru sat blankly in the ceiling, not minding some cracks above but she has to give him a call regardless of his reaction. She dialed his number and mentally preparing for what she has to say.

After a couple of calls, he picked up the phone and heard a familiar voice.

"I thought you will never call. I was afraid you ditch me." He joked.

Shizuru grinned and bit her lower lip with a little excitement. "No, I didn't dump you. I just want to stay with a friend for now."

"I heard you filed a leave of absence from your work. Was everything okay?"

She was about to say yes but couldn't because she plainly knew it wasn't in the first place. With all the things that were going through her mind about the Unspeakable Impaler, the scroll, and Ugen Inat's past, it was hard to come together on how she, Botan and Victoria would trap the murderer in the underworld.

"Well, not far from over but not as bad as before. So, it was somewhere in the middle."

"Do you want a retreat?" He offered.

"A retreat? To where?"

"Somewhere that's peaceful and private. I guess you might say 'provincial.'" He hinted.

Shizuru eyes widened and her mouth opened but with an excuse, "I don't think I could go somewhere far away although I need that peaceful retreat. Uhmmm, will it be okay if I could dwell to your apartment again?"

He was silent and thought about her offer as she was talking to herself that he would agree to her terms without any conditions. _Please say yes and I will be there in a flash!_

Finally, he got a reply with high hopes above.

"It was a fair offer and I would agree to that. What time will you be here?"

"Immediately!"

Her response with a sudden rush of blood woke her brain, though she was already awake. Her smile grew of its own accord and Shizuru could either let him hear it what he ignited or hide it, either way, he's the most exciting person in her world.

* * *

Hours have passed as day shifted to night with bright stars and the silvery moon hanging in the dark blue sky. The sky reminded Shizuru of Sakyo's calmness whenever he's around with her. Perhaps, she could prompt herself to stay alert and aware at all times.

Upon entering, Sakyo was waiting in the living room area and without hesitation; he grabbed her waist to kiss her. She let herself loose as she wrapped around his neck with her arms.

He backed his face away for a moment to tell her something important, "I'm so worried about your well being. When I called your workplace and informed me that you were away for a while, I thought you left me for good."

"No dear. I have to stay away from this cruel world to recollect myself. Aya was everything to me."

"Indeed, she was so special to your heart. I could understand your closeness to her."

Sakyo gently pulled her towards to couch and asked if she could like to drink some wine but she refused. "Not tonight, Sakyo. I'm in abstinence."

"Oh! Was it for a spiritual reason?"

"Yes, it was. I just wanted to clear my thoughts about it."

"Tell me everything. What happened to you after you found out about Aya's death?"

Shizuru became uncomfortable with the topic especially with the fact that it was still unresolved. She couldn't rehash the story all over again since it pierced her heart to the core of pain. The suffering, screams, and horror were the things that she was desperately trying to avoid at all.

"I just wanted to get away from everything so I stayed at my friend's place. I didn't watch the news for days after that incident." She confessed.

"You should have called me immediately after that but everything happened for a reason. I respect your decision to be unavailable at certain times." He assured.

"Do you forgive me from what I've done?"

"Of course, Shizuru. I forgave you because I love you."

Sakyo went down with one knee and pulled a tiny box, which was covered with purple suede, from a pocket of his pants. His blue eyes glittered with eagerness from Shizuru's reaction. Meanwhile, she was in a state of shock as if she was electrified with a thousand volts in a short time. Her fingers dug into the couch, without thinking it could leave some deep marks on it. However, he doesn't seem to mind about this small matter.

He didn't say the words that Shizuru wanted to hear but he simply pulled the top portion of the box, revealing a perfectly cut red-colored diamond ring.

This diamond was no ordinary ring as it was the rarest gem that she had ever seen. Unfortunately, it gave her deep and uninterrupted hypnosis. She was in trance, absorbed in the zone, enthralled by bliss and lost in thought of what has transpired. The ruby was so rich in color that it gave her an illusion of flowing hot lava.

As soon as Shizuru shut her eyes and flopped on the couch, Sakyo could only grin to the next step of his plan.

* * *

The building that Sakyo chose was once a beacon of its age now resembled something that has been through a war. Nothing so dramatic has befallen it, just added years that can be counted without feeling the loosening of the mind. Broken glass windows, chalky ceilings, cracks from the walls, a low-lighting bulb and the air-filled scent of decayed animals dominated the structure. The different shades of black and gray were so relevant to him at it reminded about his past.

He noticed that Shizuru was waking up to her senses, as she doesn't have the slightest knowledge of the current location. All she felt was the damp and dark place that permitted the chill wind to penetrate. Zip ties bounded her wrists and ankles. Awareness came a little late to what was going on with her.

"Sakyo, where are we? Why am I bounded on this chair?" She whispered with a panic tone in her voice.

"You should have known the identity by now. Does this look familiar to you?"

There in his hand was the darken scroll with a ruby red colored seal with the face of evil. The laughing maniac at the expense of Shizuru's upcoming unfortunate fate became alive and well as it unrolled itself and there it was, the revelation of its content.

_This body and soul of yours,_

_Are created to gratify._

_The snakes of deceit,_

_Its fangs of lies,_

_Its false security,_

_Of nonetheless of the damned._

_Deliver our tasks,_

_With careful orders,_

_Bounded no more,_

_You shall break free._

"You're the Unspeakable Impaler! Why?" Shizuru said in disenchantment.

"You asked me a lot of times why am I doing this. You should realize that we've talked about this before. Do you remember the night that I almost killed you in your bed?"

Surely, she clearly remembered that with those bed sheets that have turned into snake-like creatures. The tightness, the force and the unforgiving plea of help were unheard of and death was close to her if it wasn't for Botan's rescue.

"How did you end up conniving with Ugen Inat?"

Sakyo stood in silence as he turned his back to prepare something that his past victims were already familiar with. The damned obsidian blade with the screaming skulls at the handle was perfectly laid in his hands ready for the last victim that he needed to fulfill.

"To be honest with you, you are not part of my plan. However, your inquisitive nature and your ability to see things beyond physical matter, it changed everything. You became a part of it and therefore need to die with this knife." He disclosed.

"You are being controlled by Ugen! Why can't we destroy the contract and him?" She said in desperation with her last resort to live.

"Fool! Do you really think he can do that easily?" The screaming skulls belittled her plea.

"You see what I mean, Shizuru. I don't know what I have done that struck into your senses that I am a harmless gentleman. I must have done a great job deceiving you." He chuckled.

"My root of evil started all the way from my birth, Shizuru. I was born with a rotten brain. I was a strange person that doesn't easily fit into this society. Yes, I am a sociopath. Some people say I'm evil, but I say I'm just wired differently. In my teenage years, kids look at a squirrel and saw something beautiful and fragile, but I saw something I could kill. I don't want to shoot it. I just want to see how long it can last while I disembowel it slowly. I wanted to see the light go out in its rodent eyes while I examine its innards. I could say it's for science, but that would be a lie. The truth is I enjoy the last breath of a dying animal." He confessed.

"This is where it all started, Shizuru, my humble beginnings of a killer. This building was used to be a pet shop…a thriving one, too. I worked with animals just to fill my search of exhilaration."

Sakyo took some steps closer to Shizuru, with a blade in his hand, pulled a chair from the side and sat in front of her. They were so close that they could breathe each other almost in harmony. His blue eyes turned to monstrous green with a razor-thin pupil that was identical from a snake.

"Obviously, I didn't stop killing animals from there. I started killing humans which makes Ugen Inat addicted to the absolute power of the damned."

"What do you mean?"

"It was in my blood, Shizuru. The only world that I knew to live and existed until Ugen offered me something that I couldn't refuse."

"What is it?"

"Unlimited power over my enemies." He said bluntly.

She shook her head in great disagreement and truly her eyes were about to burst into tears. He was perplexing, infuriating, and different. He managed to keep his true self carefully hidden from even his closest associates. It was a subtle defense mechanism that allowed him to retain his autonomy without sacrificing the illusions held by others. His charm attracted people effortlessly. It was also unfortunate that the same illusion that she had in mind with Sakyo was shattered and broke her. However, her usual stubborn attitude took over and unleashed her own version of hell.

"You are the fool! The power that Ugen promised you with was nothing and meaningless. He will definitely take that away from you once he grows tired of using you. Do you know his life before he became a snake? He was a priest from ancient times who disregards life! A highly respectable priest who used his greed, malice and crushing pride just to get what he wants. And that's exactly he would like to transpire so that he could roam free on earth while you will be his prisoner in the form of a snake. That's the reason why he has two heads. One from hell and the other…"

Suddenly, the two-headed snake appeared behind her, as it twirled its own body to wrap around her in a tight grip.

"Say no more, you little witch! You are the reason why I became this!"

Sakyo saw and heard a lot of commotion going around but he remained focus with one goal in his mind…to end her life.

-To be continued-


	16. Chapter 16 - Bonum Illustrant

The Hurtful Promise

Chapter 16 – Bonum Illustrant

Sakyo grabbed and pulled her hair downwards so that her face was in an upward direction. She could only see the light bulb in the ceiling, slowly fading away from its luminosity. He lifted the knife, as his face got closer to her neck, studying intimately the details of her arteries running along underneath her skin. The thin muscles that covered the vital areas were vulnerable to his horrific plan.

"You have a beautiful skin, Shizuru. I think it's a waste to kill you right away." He commented.

She remained silent but thinking desperately on how to escape from her dire situation.

"I have to take my time. Perhaps, maybe we should play a little game outside called, 'hide n seek''. He teased maniacally.

Shizuru didn't like the sound of it even though she played that favorite childhood game. However, when it was attached to an appalling ploy, anyone would only shun that past time.

"Shall we go?"

"Go to where?"

Sakyo was a man of few words but took actions of his credible promises of vile excitement that he has a lot to offer for her. He grinned as if to say 'you shall see beyond your wildest imagination'. He whispered in his tongue about the spell that this world doesn't match his ideal world.

Apportation was the most difficult but powerful spell to perform since it required the mental, physical and spiritual exhaustion of energy by a performer who wishes to vanish and appear somewhere in the same or different planes of existence. The creation of one's world was another factor to consider.

"Are you ready?" Sakyo asked with a gleam in his eyes.

She rather not reply to his question as it involved another plot that she doesn't want to be a part of.

In an instant, a magical twister appeared underneath their feet as it enveloped both of them to teleport to another world that Sakyo created exclusively for her. Their solid bodies began to disintegrate from the physical world as Ugen Inat stayed behind, letting the Unspeakable Impaler finish his mission as part of their contract. The last soul needed to fill in the chamber and was all set in exchange for the power that Sakyo was thirsty of.

"Take your time as the power of darkness was within your reach." It predicted.

* * *

Alternate world has a bizarre arrangement when blackness dominated the deviant atmosphere with a visual silence and revered awe. Shizuru opened her eyes not with sweetness but in a fading hope that she was in his spiritual territory. She tested her own psychic powers and gladly still has it but it wasn't strong enough to defeat him.

She could hear Sakyo whistling from a distance as she turned around, only to find him way behind her. He was smiling like a hungry wolf with a cornered prey.

"I should return you a favor, Shizuru. You are free to run and hide while I set my own time to stay in one place. Obviously, it would be a limited time…for about a minute or two."

"But rest to assure that I will find you. This time, you will never make it alive." He promised.

Darkness engulfed her plan of thoughts about the possibilities on how to stop Sakyo from killing her. Stretching out in front of her was like a map; the unknown studied her fears, knowledge, and courage. Shizuru was a brave and smart woman, toughened through a test of time by experience…a series of life experiences.

However, this would be her first time, engaging in a spiritual world with Sakyo, who was equipped with the powers similar to hers…the only difference was that he possessed the stronger and darker ones.

She took tentative steps to where she would travel in order to survive his insane plot. She noticed that she was no longer running in grasses but a foggy ground without a sound of rustle and thuds. There was neither a thriving population nor signs of past living. There was no life here and it was that simple. There was no sense of purity, consumed all hope of cleanliness and had wiped out all desires.

Being chased was nothing like the movies. The reality was far removed from that pretty version of running to save her. As she was moving along in a lonely road of gnarling trees, hollow spaces, foggy ground, and corpse animals, she noticed something familiar from a distance ahead of her.

"Wait a minute, was that a mansion that appeared in one of my meditations?" She asked herself.

As if she has a moment of epiphany, she was right. It was an abandoned mansion but it looked like it was grown from the solid soil rather than being built from it. The walls were stacked in uneven cut stones, windows were shut, no light existed inside, and worst of all, the roof was partially torn down.

"If this is the only place I could hide, so be it but I have to do something."

Shizuru followed her own plan, not minding what was waiting for her inside the mansion. As she was about to enter the door, it automatically opened for her and a strong wind-like force pulled her instantly.

"What the…?"

The doors shut it with a loud booming sound that nearly exploded her ears. She landed on the wooden floors, mustering her reasoning on why she flew without even stopping it from doing so. Her body chemistry was oozing with a soft flow of panic, minding the next logical strategy before Sakyo gets her.

However, her thoughts were not so cooperative at this point as her nerves were frayed to the quick. Her nagging voice repetitively warned that he was coming at a faster pace. _You got to do something! You got to do something! The chaser knows you're here!_

"Of course he knew I was here! This is his world, you dimwit! What else can I do to slow down his speed?"

An idea came immediately after cursing herself of not taking action sooner. This untested plan could save her or destroy her. It happened to all the saintly people around the world, regardless of their religious identity. However, this upcoming plan only worked with people who have attained a higher spiritual level with divine intervention and she wasn't either of them. Shizuru closed her eyes with outstretched arms and murmured the spell that could at least save her a minute of time.

_Please make this work. I can conquer his dominance on me if I could…._

* * *

Botan was puzzled about how Shizuru never left her a message to where she was even though she knew she could have done so. It was probably because of her fault of not informing her that she went to the police station without her permission. She shook her head as if she got a taste of her own karma.

"Do you know where she is right now?" Mantaro questioned her.

"Uhhmmmm, the thing is that she didn't leave me a message to her location so I don't have the idea." She said sheepishly.

"What in the world did you drag me into? Do you think this is a joke? I think your magical identification of the killer was a joke!" He accused her.

"Please sir, be patient with me. I will try my best since we're running out of time. We are getting closer to him." She pleaded.

"You better deliver your promise. Otherwise, she might end up dead, too."

"Botan, what was this all about?"

The blue-haired woman heard a familiar voice and twirled her head with a sigh of comfort that Victoria was behind her. She heard the whole conversation about searching for Shizuru and the killer. The old woman strode closer to her and gave her a gentle tap on her shoulder, consolidating her that everything would be okay.

"Who are you, ma'am, if you don't mind asking," Mantaro said politely.

"My name is Victoria and I am Botan's friend. I am here to assist you in finding the Unspeakable Impaler."

"Was that his name?" He queried.

"Yes, it was his name given below the world that he agreed into." She replied.

"Victoria, I hate to cut your conversation but I couldn't find Shizuru both physically and spiritually," Botan said in a worried manner.

The experienced psychic didn't mention any words that she was expecting to hear but has a telepathic message that Shizuru was battling with the Unspeakable Impaler in the unknown dimension. It was difficult to trace her since she was unfamiliar with his evil characteristics. However, Victoria knew that Ugen Inat was at the decrepit building in his snake form, which might hold the potential portal that would lead to it.

"We better hurry. We are Shizuru's last hope."

Botan and Victoria understood each other without the knowledge of Mantaro to where to go next. He doubted the women but followed their commands that their friend was in a perilous state. All of them went to his police car and drove away, supporting the clueless driver to where to go. The women have to convince him to trust them with their instincts and not relying on the global positioning system. He reluctantly agreed.

In less than an hour of driving, Victoria sensed strong negative energy that unmistakably came from Ugen Inat. "He was here!" She exclaimed quickly.

"Where?" Mantaro implored.

"To one of those old brick stone buildings. Right sight on the third building." She pointed out.

With no time to spare, the investigator scanned to one of the buildings on his right side of his car, while driving at a slower speed. Victoria's eyes began to oscillate rapidly, sensing that she could face the snake again…this time for a showdown.

As she declared to stop the vehicle, Mantaro instantly knew what she was talking about. An old neglected building, with the sign of a pet shop store, stopped in front of it, opened their car doors to get out and studied the exteriors.

"I could sense his energy too, Victoria." Botan notified.

"We better be careful, though. He knew we were here and he could manipulate our weaknesses." The experienced psychic warned.

"Ladies, if you don't mind, we better get moving. My weapons are loaded with bullets." Mantaro declared.

As the three of them climbed up to the steps, Mantaro signaled them to stay behind and busted the closed-door easily and loudly. Lights were nowhere to be found but Botan made it happen by murmuring the brightness spell. They found nothing but torn wallpaper, ripped furniture, empty aquarium and….

…a snake ready to strike.

"Look who's here? Not only we meet again but this time you brought some company." The double-headed snake mused.

"Ugen, stop this in an instant! We could let you go if only you could show us where Shizuru was." Botan commanded.

"Oh, do you think I could fall into that immediately? Since when did you become Victoria's student?"

Mantaro drew his gun from his holster and pointed it to the snake. It saw what he was doing but gave it a hearty laugh.

"A gun would immediately kill a human being but not the evil one." The snake gave notice.

Victoria remained silent with her eyes still fluttering at a rapid pace. The energy that she was about to emit made Mantaro and Botan unsure of what was occurring to her. The snake steadily slithered closer to get the first bite to the investigator. However, Mantaro was quick enough to pull the trigger and shot accurately to its head.

It blew off from its body but regenerated hastily.

"What kind of creature was this?" He gasped.

The double-headed snake transformed itself to his defunct human form as the trio witnessed the reptile growing its limbs to human ones from its sides. The head becoming bigger but more pronounced in its features and the body began to take its muscular shape and its stance erecting in a straight manner.

Ibebi was bald with a deep set of brown eyes, staring at them incredibly. He was clothed in his priestly uniform of leotard fur wrapped around in his upper body and perfectly clean-fringed linen skirt in the lower body. A golden belt studded with semi-precious stones hanged in his waist fittingly.

"Why don't you reveal your true self, Rania." He dared.

"Reveal and what?" Victoria countered back, though not surprising that he brought her old Egyptian name. "Whether I am here before Rania or Victoria, my soul was still the same."

"And that similarity rekindles our unsettled business," Ibebi stated.

Mantaro and Botan set themselves aside and came behind to Victoria's back as the experienced psychic eyes fixed to Ibebi. She wasn't amused when he called her by an old name for she was a different person with a different philosophy in life. She knew that she has to tread carefully for his memory from the Book of the Dead could easily be summoned once spoken the spells.

She lifted her arms and turned it with her hands facing up. She posed into a hermit mode. So it began and Ibebi did the same as their energy exchange intensified. The black and white rays of evil and good emitted from their bodies and clashed at each other. It was the battle of wills as Botan protected Mantaro from the debilitating effects with her defense spell.

Both of them have a historical past of choosing a life path that would take the shape of their destinies. Perhaps even more so, their decided fate could last a lifetime or to the next unless they change their own courses. From behind the battlements, there was a sense of do or die; moments, like opportunities, come just once. The future lay before them both light and dark - to win meant prosperity and love, to loose meant decay and festering of the enemy.

* * *

Rustling trees gave a meaning of little life in the underworld that he created when he passed by, with ghoulish-looking barks that appeared to be screaming in pain. It was a nightmare materialized with dry winds howling in fading voices. However, it wouldn't matter to him since this world appealed to his liking and not for the faint-hearted ordinary individual.

Sakyo was able to reach the abandoned mansion with the flickering of lights inside of it. Strange as it may seem since it wasn't part of his design but highly suspected it was Shizuru who did it. The flashes made his eyes sore a little but he doesn't mind since he considered this as a minor distraction.

_You can do anything what you want but your soul will be mine! _He thought maliciously.

With one command from his hand, the wooden doors opened with a surprising welcome.

_Is this part of your plan, Shizuru? If it is so, you were such a weakling._

Sakyo witnessed the dazzling lights from a crystal-decorated chandelier hanging in the middle of the ceiling. He also saw antique furniture arranged in a strategic manner, knowing that she was up to something. From the end of the hallway, he saw her standing with emotions not easily hidden from her innocent face. Her pain was evident as it showed in her brow and down-curved full lips. But her eyes revealed a soul, wanting to save him.

"My dear, how lovely that you prepare for me just for you to die," Sakyo said, stalking her slowly.

"It wasn't death for me, Sakyo. It was you who was close to dying." She replied.

"How can you say so? You are with me and no one else."

"We are both trapped under Ugen Inat. I don't care if I stayed here for eternity just as long as you reject his offer and join me."

He was a few feet away from her when he suddenly felt a revolting energy that blasted his memories with an energy shock. It was a barrier that she made for Sakyo in order for him to unable to reach her. He had a temporary flashback of his childhood, remembering a warm embrace from his mother.

As soon as he recollected himself and normalized his senses, he gave her a burst of low laughter.

"I see what you mean. You want me to remember that banished childhood in order for me to return to my innocence. Clever." He commented.

"There's time to consider. If only we could combine our forces, we could defeat him and the contract will be broken." She predicted.

"Of all the people that you want to combine forces, why it has to be me? You could have brought Botan here so that this time-wasting event will be done in a short time."

"I figure that this battle needs to be settled by you and me alone. No one else should finish for us except us."

Sakyo took steps back, drew his knife and stabbed it in the ground. The screaming skulls wailed and slowly lingered in a soft tone. He took off his robe and revealed his muscular body covered with the deep cut but healed scars. It wasn't there before and Shizuru wondered why was he doing this.

"To answer your doubts on me, I am no longer myself." He blurted out.

Shizuru did nothing but gasped underneath her breath.

"I was declared dead after my tragic car accident. My soul unknowingly traveled to the underworld where I was supposed to stay there for good since my crimes are beyond forgivable. But Ugen Inat was fascinated about my past and negotiated with evil to let me live again, this time with a conditional agreement."

Sakyo moved his feet forward but this time, with caution. "Death is nothing to me now regardless of this outcome. I just want your soul and come with me and show you how beautiful the underworld is."

"Sakyo, if the devil gave you a lease of life, perhaps it's a great chance for you to turn around, redeem yourself and live again a new life of hope and forgiveness." She countered.

"I never like a normal life like you have, Shizuru. I always wanted the twisted one." He said with his eyes shifting from green to red.

The wooden floors that she was standing into burst with a powerful upward force that she was lifted up in the air. Her protective shield was destroyed. The screaming skulls were underneath her and started to suck high quantities that she felt she was falling at an increasing speed. She combated them with a barrier spell thick enough to mute their screams and sealed the floor. She turned her attention to him but he was gone.

Shizuru frantically searched around to where he was and moved the memory shield around her. She started pacing with agility as if a loose animal was around. She saw the knife still stuck in the ground and brought up the destruction spell around it. It worked as it engulfed itself in white flames of purification until it transformed into ashes.

Sakyo came from behind, swung his arm and nearly missed her heart, as he possessed another knife, this time a sharpened human rib. She struggled to break free from his clutches but he was too strong for her. The grip made her breathing labored for she was struggling to get some air. It was beguiling, bewitching yet extraordinarily peculiar. This undertaking seemed quite convincing and genuine at first until time progressed and it started unfolding its treacherous intentions. With last effort, she shouted the ray's spell as her last hope to break free.

Victoria bestowed the ray spell to her in case of emergency but she cautioned her to use it in rare but dangerous situations. It looked like the experienced psychic knew that this would come in handy and Sakyo was no ordinary human being. He has a violent disturbance that only the divine from above could diffuse it.

He loosened his grip from her body as he felt the effects of the benevolent rays. The darkened soul purged him slowly but painfully. Shizuru broke free and could only be watched from the distance on how Sakyo screamed and the layered curses began to peel and dissolved one by one. It was surely a thick layer until the curse broke him free. He fainted and fell down where normalcy resume. His once red eyes were gone and changed it back to icy blue eyes. The center of light and acceptance did it and Shizuru was relieved it was over.

In one far corner of the house lies the contract unfurled. She stood up and rushed to get it only to find a blank piece of paper and disappeared right in her hands.

Shizuru could only be sobbed knowing that Sakyo was finally free from Ugen Inat's contract. It was so hurtful that he has to go through this but it was the risk all worth taking in the end.

Sakyo regained his consciousness and scanned around, finding her as happy as any woman saving her beloved man. She went back into his arms, this time with love.

"What have I done?" He asked himself with confusion.

"It wasn't your fault. You were being misled by false promises but it was all over." She assured, staring at him fondly.

"Do you think so? We were still here in this darken dimension. It means Ugen was still alive." He assumed.

As if the words came out from an angel, the dimension underwent disestablishment of illusions. The twisted world faded slowly until they are in the middle of unknown realm. In the far end, they could hear voices. Both knew it was the portal to the physical world as both got up from their feet and ran.

The tiny dot of light got larger and larger in size and physical formations were taking its shape. As they emerged from the spiritual hole, Shizuru instantly knew that there was some battle going on until they witnessed a person from a distant past was dead.

"Shizuru, you're back but…" Botan cut off her sentence upon seeing Sakyo at her side.

"He's fine, Botan. I used the divine rays spell. He was purged from the curse." She told her.

Victoria cast a permanent spell to Ibebi to lock in the unfilled cell that was meant for Shizuru. His three victims were set free as their souls were flying up in heaven, in a form of white doves. She couldn't help but to shed tears, realizing that the victims could eternally rest in peace. Justice was served done and well. Mantaro bowed his head and smiled that his fiancée left to live in a safe world.

* * *

"I can't leave you alone. I just want to be with you." Shizuru declared.

It was time to say goodbye but she wasn't ready to do so. Both knew this would come sooner or later but it was dreaded. Being apart was the least that Shizuru like but Sakyo wouldn't mind since he knew it was part of the relationship.

"You're the only person that I cared about. I will cherish the days and nights that we spent together. We made each other for togetherness but I feel like a part of me will be gone." He said tenderly.

Shizuru's mind repetitively told her to come up words that he could remember by heart but it was hard for her to choose the right words. When she had forgotten how to live, he was the one who showed her the way. When she felt like the world was falling apart around her, he made her feel as though it wasn't so bad.

"I have this feeling in my chest where it just feels empty. I'm lost and the only way for me to be found again is if I would see you again."

Sakyo leaned to her face and kissed her full lips, ignited in passion. Shizuru returned the favor as she enjoyed every second of it.

His butler came into their presence as he gently reminded his boss that it was time to leave for his business trip. His car was waiting outside the lobby as Shizuru broke off from him and finally said goodbye. He waved and walked away with an uplifted spirit.

With the end of evil and chaos, came the world full of renewed hope and promise. Indeed, there are a series of tests and temptations roaming around the world and the battle of good versus evil continues. But as long as they have the will power to change their destinies, the world will heal, repair and the future is nothing but bright.

-The End-


End file.
